Courting Disaster
by CrackdownDraco
Summary: A totally AU story. A virus creates a deadly plague. Told from Maura's point of view, it covers the start of the plague onwards. Eventually Rizzles. I have tried to write this so it is not your average post-apocalyptic fiction as it is mainly character driven but with odd moments of action/romance. Set after 3:02. Reviews welcomed. My first R & I story, so I hope it's up to par.
1. Chapter 1: And So It Begins, Losing Jane

**This is my first foray into Rizzoli and Isles fanfiction. This story was one I had lurking on my hard drive, initially writing it for Xena, but it wasn't quite gelling, so I left it. As I was clearing some of my stuff up, it occurred to me that it could fit well within an R & I's setting. I'm from the UK, so there may be some spelling issues between myself and the US. Please let me know if you spot any.**

**Dr Temperance Brennan is only mentioned in passing at the beginning as it seemed to fit the story. This is not a crossover though, sorry. As far as I know there is no such tribe as The Anisisi Tribe. If there is I apologise, but honestly, it was just a word that I made up which sounded the part.**

**This is also the first attempt from a first person point of view, so I hope I get all the grammar correct. Not been beta read, so sorry if there are any mistakes. All reviews and any constructive criticism welcomed. Bear with the start though, because it is that way for a reason.**

**Disclaimer, as usual the Characters don't belong to me, I've just borrowed them, and I promise to return them safe and sound. No profit will be made from this; it's only a bit of fun.**

**Copyright: Original story belongs to me, and may not be reused or reprinted elsewhere without express permission.**

**Summary: A totally AU story. A virus creates a deadly plague. Told from Maura's point of view, it covers the start of the plague onwards. Eventually Rizzles. Set approx. after episode 2 season 3.**

**Courting Disaster.**

**_aaaaaaaaaaaa_**

Prologue.

I have no idea how long I will be able to keep a record of the disaster to which the human race has succumbed. However, I feel it is important to try and document what has happened in the hope it might help mankind. Thus far it has only been a year since doomsday started.

I'm almost tempted to begin this missive like they would have done a few hundred years ago.

In the year of Our Lord!

Except many people have lost faith in religion. They haven't necessarily lost faith in good individuals; of virtues like compassion, truth and honor. I think we need those basics qualities in order to survive and hang onto our humanity. However doctrine means nothing in this tormented world.

So what evil has befallen us and robbed us all of our freedom? A plague was brought about by people manipulating DNA in such a way that the first batch of bodies created their own virus. This virus mutated and could be passed on by touch. A lot of people died, but the worst was reserved for those who were only half killed. We named those affected as 'The Others.' They would fight amongst themselves for food sources, at times inflecting so much damage to another beings body that they would be killed in the fight. The Others went on to further indiscriminately spread the disease; it was a bit like the self - fulfilling prophecy.

I have lived my life with science as my guiding light. Over the years friends would comment on my lack of knowledge regarding popular culture. However, once the concept of the Zombie was explained to me I could think of no better analogy. It makes me shudder even now; knowing that somebody took a vision from a horror film, and deliberately created something so close that the Zombie, in effect, became a reality.

Although an estimate of numbers is not yet known, a percentage of us remain immune to the outbreak, fending off the terror of attacks made by those afflicted by this grievous malady. Many of us were forced to stand by, utterly helpless as close family and friends' succumbed to its hideous effects, a nightmare that will haunt us for months and years to come. I watched as my family was destroyed by both forms of the disease. My Father, Mother, and worst of all - Jane, my best and dear friend, the person I loved more than I had loved anybody before- all lost within 48 hours of each other, although we didn't fully understand it at the time.

We survivors seek refuge and safe harbour where we can. Some, like my group, are lucky and we form larger communities, making it easier to defend against attacks. Others choose to roam in smaller numbers, evading The Others and becoming transient communities.

Despite witnessing such gruesome acts by these poor altered beings, we are the fortunate ones.

2012 certainly became a year to fear.

_aaaaaaaaaaaa_

Chapter one: And So It Begins.

12 months previously.

I was just finishing signing the paperwork related to the case which I knew had brought Jane down from the bullpen. It was shaping up to be a nasty serial killer with five men and woman already found dead within the past 24 hours. The Mayor had put together a task force and the FBI was called in, with agents expected to arrive within the day. Smiling I heard the distinctive thunk of Jane Rizzoli's boots hitting the floor leading into the autopsy suite. Knowing how much this case was getting to the homicide detectives I worked with, I expected Jane to be deep in thought as she arrived.

Sure enough, as I turned around to greet my best friend I noted the crumbled clothes, furrowed brow and worrying of her bottom lip between her teeth.

"Please tell me you've got something Maur?"

There was no mistaking the pleading tone as Jane had spoken. I moved over to brush a dishevelled lock of dark hair out of her face. Jane looked surprised at my candour, knowing it had only been a couple of weeks since we'd really started to revive our friendship after the incident with Doyle.

I smiled reassuringly and patted the seat next to my desk. "Go on, I know you've been on your feet for close to twenty hours."

With a huge sigh of relief Jane's tall frame seemed to fold into itself as she slumped onto the offered seat. "Thanks, you have no idea how much I needed that," she ran a hand over her face, scrubbing away some of the tiredness. "So, anything that might help us work out this thing?"

I felt myself frown. "I have nothing new; I was just about to do a conference call with a colleague who has more experience with some of the bone injuries I documented."

Jane perked up with that news. "Really, anybody I know?"

I shook my head as I turned on my Skype system. "No, but Dr Brennan is widely regarded in her field." Just then Temperance Brennan face appeared on my computer screen.

"Ah, Dr Brennan, thank you for your time." I indicated towards Jane, "I hope you don't mind the lead Detective joining in?"

"Not at all."

I could see the curiosity crossing the Anthropologists face and I suddenly realised I hadn't introduced them properly.

"Oh, sorry," I felt a blush creep up my face, "forgive my manners, Detective Jane Rizzoli, meet Dr Temperance Brennan, Forensic Anthropologist.

Jane placed a calming hand on my arm as she looked towards the camera connecting us to Washington. "Doctor, thank you for the help, has Dr Isles got you up to speed on the case?"

The Anthropologist smiled in return. "Yes," she shuffled a few paper in front of her and got straight to the point. "I can already tell some features are similar to the bone damage left behind by the Anisisi Tribe."

I felt myself tense, I had read that paper, and Jane noticed my reaction. "What? Maura, you know what that means don't you?"

I glanced at Dr Brennan. "Yes, the paper was very clear. The tribe had exhibited signs of cannibalistic behaviour."

Dr Brennan bowed her head in acknowledgement of my statement. "Indeed, I'll email you copies of my full findings."

"Thank you."

As we said our goodbyes I could feel Jane's presence closing in.

"Maur, when you said cannibalistic, you mean cannibalistic as in eating other humans cannibals?"

I sighed heavily. "Yes, that's exactly what I mean."

"Holy crap!"

And for once I could only agree with the sentiment.

_aaaaaaaaaaaa_

The FBI arrived and set up in the conference room. Cavanaugh had then ordered the homicide team to take the night off. I had pleaded with him that afternoon to make sure they got some rest. When I'd gone upstairs to check on progress, Barry Frost had been asleep at his desk, Vincent Korsak looked awful and Jane had been pacing, dark circles under her eyes a testimony to how little sleep the three of them had achieved recently.

So it was that I found myself outside Jane apartment, with Chinese takeout and beer in hand. I had debated about using my key, but given the newness of our rekindled friendship I decided to knock instead. Jane took a while to answer, and when she saw it was me, gave a tired smile and gestured for me to follow her inside.

"Sorry to drop by unannounced." I moved to plate up the food. "Only I was worried you'd be too tired to eat properly."

"Thanks Maura. You're right, I am tired. At least Ma's looking after Joe Friday until this case is over." Jane joined me at the counter, we both grabbed some plates and silverware, and I uncapped a beer for Jane, before we sat down on the couch.

I took a moment to study my friend. Despite the obvious tiredness, she seemed pale and listless. "Are you feeling alright?"

I was concerned when all Jane could do was shrug and reply with. "I think I could have a bit of cold." She obviously saw me move to check her over, and put a hand out to stop me. "Honestly, I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Despite everything that had happened I still cared deeply for Jane. Her words to her Mother the day we got home after the incident at the Sensei Matta Yoga centre still echoed in my mind. 'Ah, I think you've got a Doctor too.' The Rizzoli family have done so much for me. The acceptance I felt at that moment was enormous. There was a huge shift in our friendship that day, and we seem to have drawn even closer than we were before. I find myself wondering if Jane has the same depth of feelings as me, feelings that were getting even stronger as time went on. And if I was being honest with myself, it was getting harder for me to deny that some of those emotions were romantic in nature.

Jane gently grasped my free hand, shaking my thoughts free of those memories. "Yes, and if I feel worse tomorrow I promise I'll take a day."

I could feel my eyebrows rising in disbelief. "Take a day. Even with the case?"

"Even with the case," Jane gave a shoulder shrug. "With the FBI involved I doubt we'll be getting to do much other than be their lackeys anyway."

_aaaaaaaaaaaa_

The following morning I phoned Jane first thing, as I suspected she wasn't feeling any better, so I called in on my way into work having reminded her of the promise she'd made to stay at home if she wasn't feeling well.

I'd arranged to let myself into the apartment, and found Jane curled up in bed, I sat next to her and could see she seemed to be running a slight temperature. I ran my hand through her hair, slowly untangling the knots that had formed overnight.

"Other than putting a jug of water on the side so you can keep up your fluid intake, and getting some painkillers, anything else I can do?"

Jane stretched out slightly and moaned as I continued to knead her scalp. "Can you figure out how to keep doing that from work? It feels wonderful."

I laughed lightly. "Sorry, I don't think Cavanaugh would approve the use of my time," for a moment I frowned seriously. "Promise me you'll phone if you feel worse?"

Jane looked up from under the covers. "I will," she agreed solemnly. "Now go, before I kidnap you so you don't have to stop that massage."

After getting together the things I thought Jane might need that day, and making sure there was nothing more I could do for her, I tucked her in, kissed her forehead after she fell asleep and quietly shut the door behind me.

_aaaaaaaaaaaa_

Lunchtime came and went, I'd tried phoning Jane, but there was no reply, so I was hoping she was asleep. I'd just been called up into the conference room and I arrived to find Cavanaugh and Vince Korsak in a heated argument with a female FBI agent.

Jane's partner, Barry Frost was by the door and moved over as soon as I entered. "Thank God you're here Doc, I hope you can smooth this over."

"Why, what's the problem?"

"The FBI agents have some information from their ME, but they don't want to share."

I was curious. "If they weren't going to tell us, how did we find out about it?"

Barry shuffled guiltily. "I might have been running a tracer programme on the system. It got flagged."

"Oh Barry, please tell me it wasn't illegal!"

"Oh no," he was quick to reassure me. "But I trod on some toes by not asking permission and it's turned into a bit of a pissing contest." He saw my disapproving look. "Sorry about the language."

Before I could ask what my presence could achieve Vince saw me and waved me over. I caught the tail end of his conversation. "OK, so if your ME won't tell us, at least release the information to our ME."

He was obviously after a compromise, and turned his full attention to me. "Tell 'em it'd be a good idea for you to be read in on this Dr Isles."

All eyes turned to me, and I felt pinned to the spot by their intensity. "Well, Sergeant Korsak has a point, if it's relevant from a medical standpoint, I could be told on a need to know basis."

Korsak pointed with a triumphant look on his face. "See, told ya, come on, what could be that bad that you need to keep us out of the loop?"

The FBI agent sighed, and looked to her two colleagues for support. Coming to some kind of silent decision she indicated to the chairs. "You might want to sit down."

_aaaaaaaaaaaa_

I could feel my jaw slacken, and looking around I saw the others held a similar look of disbelief. I cleared my throat and tried to speak, startled to find my voice came out as a squeak. I coughed and started again. "So this virus has been let loose, and we have no way of stopping it?"

The female FBI agent, who I'd learned was called Sarah, nodded. "Yes, all we know at this stage is that those who aren't killed within 18 hours are reduced to becoming like Zombies. Up until now we'd contained the outbreak, but with these five bodies it looks like containment has failed. If this carries on the President will address the nation by the end of the week and declare martial law. The virus initially presents with the same symptoms as a cold…"

I felt my blood run cold as soon as she uttered those words. "Oh .No. No…" I jumped up, and could see Vince's questioning look as I grabbed my cell phone and hit the speed dial. "Please pick up. Please pick up. Please pick up."

"Maura what is it?" By now, both Vince and Barry were at my side. There was no answer from Jane.

"If what we've been told is true, we were exposed to the virus when we found the bodies. Jane took a day…"

I could see the horror on Vince's face as he worked it out. "Because she was ill."

Barry made a run for the door. Vince and I were right behind him.

By the time we got to Jane's place it was too late. The apartment was in total disarray and Jane was missing. That morning was the last time I saw her.


	2. Chapter 2: Evolution

Chapter two: Evolution.

After we'd discovered Jane was absent from her apartment I had crumbled, Vince and Barry had taken me home, and it was there that I'd had to tell Angela that her only daughter was missing. However, until the President made his announcement in two days we couldn't give Jane's mother any further details, which was emotionally crippling for all of us.

I spent the night unable to sleep, worried about Jane, not knowing if she was dead or alive. Alive, that was speculative; could she be called alive if her living was reduced to behaving like a cannibal?

The following morning I hardly recognised the person in the mirror. My usual vibrant honey blond hair was hanging limply across my shoulders, hazel eyes dull, lacking their customary spark. I debated about what I would do with my day. The FBI had cleared us to work, with the assurance that we were immune to the virus. It seemed there was a very clear window for symptoms to appear, and given the circumstances I was amazed they'd managed to keep the whole thing as quiet as they had. There could be something said for big brother watching you after all.

Finally I headed into the morgue, determined to do what I could to help my tall, dark haired friend. A part of me refusing to give up hope on her behalf, I was after all a Doctor and scientist. It would be up to people like me to create the vaccine that was so desperately needed.

_aaaaaaaaa_

When I got to police headquarters it could only be described as chaos. The arrival of the FBI combined with the loss of a decorated member of the force, added in no forthcoming explanation from the powers that be about Jane's disappearance meant that rumours were rife.

I spotted Vince and Frankie by the elevators when I arrived, they were leaning either side of the doors as if waiting for something. It turned out they were waiting for me.

"Hi Doc," Vince pushed himself off the wall. "We're under orders to help you today."

I cocked my head to one side, I was sure there was some subtext to the comment, but I was too tired to work out its meaning.

"Why would you and Frankie be needed to help me in the morgue?" I asked as Frankie reached across to press the call button for the elevator.

Frankie shifted from foot to foot as Korsak answered me. "We'll explain when we get to your office. Orders from on high, we've got instructions from the task force for you."

"OK." I was puzzled but knew this was not the place to talk. The elevator arrived and we got in, with Frankie and Vince placing themselves either side of me, almost in a protective stance.

When we reached my floor, I was startled by how quiet it was. Normally there was a bit of hustle and bustle between the autopsy suite and laboratories. I switched on lights as we made our way through to my office and I hardly had time to put down my purse before Frankie had locked the door, and closed the blinds. I have to admit their behaviour was now starting to make me feel a bit nervous.

I crossed my arms in front of me. "Alright, what's happening?"

Frankie looked to the older man for guidance, and Vince gave an almost imperceptible nod before he spoke. "This is now an emergency situation. We're making plans to evacuate headquarters. We've been told by the end of the day we'll have the people here in charge of that evacuation and we'll know where we're going. But in the meantime, they are setting up extra provisions for you. It means you're being expected to help come up with a cure for this thing."

I started, surprised. "But I'm not a Virologist. What on Earth do they think I can achieve that a person more skilled in that field can't manage?"

Vince rubbed at his goatee. "I might have had Cavanaugh argue that no one is better than you at finding obscure facts out of very little evidence."

"Doc," Frankie sounded pleading. "It was either this or we get kicked off the task force by the Feds, and then we'd have no way of knowing if they catch sight of Jane. At least this way we're in the loop. Frost is upstairs shadowing their every move for us."

I felt worry gnawing at my gut. "What do you mean we wouldn't have been told if they caught sight of Jane? We're her family…" I paused, yes, romantic feelings aside, I felt confident using the term after what had happened a couple of weeks ago. I _was_ part of the family … "We're her family, we have a right to know if they find her."

Vince shook his head. "No Doc, they're declaring martial law soon, which means we'll have no right to know unless Jane is free of the disease and contacts us."

I slumped into the chair by my desk. The very same chair Jane had sat in only two days prior. The weight of the situation falling heavy on my shoulders, and without realizing it I started to cry, the loss of Jane hanging onto my very being like a lead weight. Frankie knelt down beside me and gathered me into his arms. "If anybody can beat this thing Jane can," he whispered into my ear. "She's got too much at stake not to beat this." I could only cry harder.

_aaaaaaa_

By lunchtime I had made some progress. It had taken me nearly half an hour to pull myself together after my crying episode that morning, but now I felt galvanized into doing something. Not only were Vince and Barry desperate for news of Jane, I owed it to the Rizzoli's to do something that might help bring their daughter and sister back to them, to us. Once I'd been told what to look for it proved easy to detect the virus within red blood cells, unfortunately trying to isolate it was proving almost impossible.

"AH!" I screamed as I threw the latest test tube at the wall where it shattered into several pieces. I stood stock still, stunned that I had let my emotions loose like that, I so rarely reacted with pure anger it shocked me to the core. Only Jane managed to deconstruct the emotional walls I had erected around myself as a child. And even though she wasn't here, her presence was still obviously affecting me.

"I've got this Doc." Frankie murmured as he went over to clean up the mess I'd made.

"I…" I stalled, unable to think of anything to say.

Vince came over and put a hand on my forearm. "It's OK Maura. You don't have to say anything." He smiled kindly at me, understanding written over his face. I smiled back, grateful for their acceptance of me and my outburst. I took a deep breath and turned back to the equipment that littered the morgue. 'Small steps' I reminded myself as I steeled my mind to the task ahead.

Four hours later I was no further forward, and frustrated with progress I had taken a quick break and phoned Barry to see if there was any news from the Feds.

"Nothing to report on Jane so far," his voice was tinny over the phone line, but I could still make out the irritation in his tone. "But things are escalating and I have a nasty feeling we're going to be ordered out of headquarters sooner rather than later." He paused. "Hang on a moment Doc." There was a rustling noise and I could hear the mumbling of voices as Barry was obviously talking to somebody. After about 30 seconds he came back onto the line. "OK Doc, we need to clear up, directives will be going out soon, you're all ordered back up to the conference room."

"What about the work here?" I asked, unwilling to just leave it as it was,

"Somebody will take care of it Doc, don't worry, you need to get up here though."

Sighing I agreed before hanging up the phone and passing the message on to Frankie and Vince, I glanced around to make sure everything was secure. It only took me about five minutes to shut down the morgue.

_aaaaaaaa_

If I thought headquarters was chaos when I arrived this morning, it was nothing compared to what it was like when the elevator doors opened up on the floor leading to the conference room. People were running everywhere, boxes and files being taking away in armfuls, and phones were ringing off the hook.

Barry Frost was pushing his way past people as we were jostled by passers-by; he grabbed hold of my arm and pulled me towards the nearest door.

"In here Doc," he spoke breathlessly.

"Frost, what the Hells going on?" Korsak demanded. "We only spoke to you a little over five minutes ago!"

Frankie closed the door on the chaos outside, silence suddenly prevailing. Barry went and placed his hands on the back of the chair closest to him. "The shit's really hit the fan. Some departments within the building are showing signs of illness and have been quarantined, but apart from Jane, the entire homicide division is clear. Even Crowe, the lucky bastard, got a clean bill of health."

I felt the first tendrils of panic grip me, this could only mean one thing. We would be ordered out of Boston, and I had no way of knowing what had happened to Jane, I might never get that closure. I felt cheated out my friends' life, and for the first time ever felt a searing resentment towards those who would live through the initial plague.

By the end of the day things had become a whole lot worse, and personally my life was complicated further by the sudden, unannounced appearance of both my parents. The news they brought with them was not reassuring. Through their own contacts they had been warned about the possible epidemic, and with that knowledge they had started a plan to evacuate people to a safe place. It turned out they were the people who were to be in charge of our evacuation, it had been decided with the task force that morning although it seemed nobody had the decency to let me know my own parents were heavily invested in the withdrawal plan.

I argued with them about me leaving Boston, about me leaving Jane, and I mean really argued, indeed flat out screamed at them at one point. However, all my protests were fruitless, things were escalating rapidly and I was given no choice. The President brought forward his speech and so the whole of America was now aware of the danger. It was becoming clear that the shelter was going to be our only option.

_aaaaaaaa_

Father brought the place as a joke. These days it's far from a joke.

"If nothing else it will make an interesting topic of conversation at dull business dinners." I can recall him laughing at the thought of those dining with him learning that he owned a disused nuclear bomb shelter. How typical of my father to see the potential in something so obscure. It came to his notice after it was advertised in the local paper; as you can imagine its size, unique location and former use created some media interest. My father was not deterred by other buyers, and swiftly made a cash offer well above what was asked, and before long the bunker was part of the family business premises portfolio.

"Once renovated I'll either use it as corporate headquarters, or run guided tours," he proudly announced the moment the deal had been signed, sealed and delivered.

Boy, the place certainly did need some major work. Built at the height of the cold war, the local city council had commissioned the construction of the shelter by dynamiting huge tunnels into the abundant granite rock of the surrounding countryside. No expense was spared. Lined throughout with lead a foot deep, followed by six inches of concrete, it was fitted out with the best equipment the era could offer. Everything was joined up to encircle a large central room, bunk areas and food storage section with kitchen. The air system scrubbed the carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere converting it back into oxygen. Albeit stale oxygen, but oxygen all the same. To one side stood a small laboratory, fully decked out for medical studies. The city that funded the project housed one of the country's major medical teaching hospitals so the plan had been to try and counteract the effects of nuclear radiation from within the shelters safe confines. Next to the lab, an annex housed a small infirmary and operating theatre, again fully equipped with the best surgical tools and medicine from the 1950's.

In a feat of amazing engineering way ahead of its time, the power was provided by huge wave powered turbines situated off the cliffs that graced the one side of the structure. Initially the turbines had been kept a state secret and maintained by the military, but once the cold war passed the maintenance was handed over to a main electricity company and the power plant was brought into use for the nation. Part of the deal when buying the shelter was the electricity company would continue with the turbines upkeep and in return they would still reap the benefits of any excess power output.

Water was recycled where possible, a fresh source came from a borehole drilled over 650 feet into the earth, the hope being that even the worst nuclear event would not contaminate that far down.

Non-recycled biological waste was pumped to a holding tank outside the structure and allowed to naturally break down then drain away over time.

Aside from the electrical turbines no maintenance had been carried out on the structure for about 20 years. Both water and waste pumps were rusted solid. Equipment decayed and of no use, walls peeling their stark whitewash, giving the appearance of a bleak and desolate place. Father was determined to recreate as much of the original shelter as possible. Finally he decided on making it the company headquarters, using the massive central room to house an open plan office. Obvious concessions were made to safety so modern wiring and fire suppression systems were installed. Phone lines were upgraded and Internet access soon followed. One area was made into a large hydroponics bay that allowed the canteen on site to grow all the fresh fruit and vegetables they needed to use in their kitchen.

Whitewashed walls gave way to modern paints, light fittings were made ecologically and SAD friendly, and finally my Father even managed to secure quite a lot of the medicines and medical equipment that the original infirmary and lab had used. Quite how he pulled that one off I'll never know, but I suspect he greased a few palms along the way, however, I wasn't going to ask. I learnt a long time ago that when it came to family business matters that domain was the sole preserve of my father and two older cousins. I was more than happy with that arrangement because it allowed me to pursue my love of science, finally getting to medical school. I often wished for a closer family, but if I hadn't taken the path that I did I would never have ended up in Boston. And I would not have met Jane.

Six months after the purchase, I was elated to attend the official grand reopening of the shelter; the champagne flowed well into the night. Many guests were happily ferried away by the fleet of cars my Father had provided as part of the evening; one thing he wouldn't tolerate was drunk-driving and would always make sure nobody drove themselves home, regardless of the extra costs involved. He stood tall that night; I'd often catch his eyes looking in my direction, the smile on his face mirrored by the twinkle in those vivid irises. I felt privileged and in that moment life was as good as it had ever been. It wasn't until I met the Rizzoli's that I realized the one thing that was missing in my life was love and I hadn't thought about the shelter since.

_aaaaaaaa_

Yet here it was, looming up in front of us, all those from BPD who were cleared of the virus had accompanied me on this journey. Vince was driving the specially adapted Range Rover provided by my Father. Barry sat next to him. Angela was by my left side in the back. She'd held onto my hand for the entire two hour drive. On my right sat Frankie. My Father and Mother had been left behind. Both showing signs of the virus early into their arrival, Father had been rapidly infected, and was one of those to die. I was at his side when it happened. Mother became one of The Others, and was released into an area that the federal Government was trying to contain as a camp for infected people. Despite the fact we lacked closeness I had wept for their loss.

With hardly any time to say goodbye to the loved ones left behind, we were loaded up into vehicles and sent on our way. Time was of the essence as the Government didn't know how long they could retain control over the area. I'd hardly spoken since leaving Boston, and I knew Angela was concerned about me, so I struggled to pull myself together as we arrived at the main gateway. These people were now relying on my knowledge of the bunker and how it worked.

"OK." That was the first thing out of my mouth and I paused not knowing what else to say. I tried again. "OK, Vince, I'll open up the main gateway, you can drive through the main corridor and park the vehicles on the beach the other side of the structure." I indicated where I meant on the hastily drawn map of the shelter I'd given him earlier. "Don't bother waiting for me, there are electric golf carts inside I can use to get around."

Vince nodded, and I turned my attention to Barry, Frankie and Angela. "Would you come with me? I'd like to set up the main areas of command, and I'll need your help."

They three of them murmured their assent, and joined me outside the vehicle. I waved forward the convoy of vehicles that had followed us from Boston to trail Vince. Once everybody was safely inside I showed Barry, Frankie and Angela how to secure the outer gateway and doors. They closed with a resounding clang, and my heart felt the acute loss of Jane as that also shut down all and any emotion with an equally loud, reverberating death knell.

_aaaaaaa_


	3. Chapter 3: New Boston

Chapter 3: New Boston.

#

#

#

A part of me died the day we closed off the outside world. Constance Isles was still out there somewhere. And mankind faced a threat it had never faced before. However, as bad all that was, the worst as far as I was concerned was that Jane's fate remained unknown.

_#_

_#_

_#_

Once loose, the virus took hold terrifyingly quickly. The monsters that created this horror could not have foreseen the consequences and within 3 days of us leaving Boston the entire planet was overrun. Governments fell, the infrastructure that we have become so reliant upon collapsed and anarchy reigned. Little did we know that the worst was yet to happen.

To our shock the virus rapidly mutated again, causing further violence within the affected groups. Within one group there are The Others, and then there are those who have managed to fight off some of the virus' effects. They seem to be trapped within a body that cannot fully halt its wanton destruction, their minds must be screaming out to try and stop the autonomic responses that ultimately they have little if no control over. They seem partially, maybe even fully aware, of the carnage they are spreading, and you can see the difference from The Others in their eyes. Eyes echoing the internal torture they endure and pleading for help that you can't provide. For them, it truly has been, and continues to be a living hell. We call this group of people The Inbetweens for they are both hunted as a food sorce by The Others and feared by survivors.

Sadly neither group can be classed as fully human any longer, their humanity cruelly stripped away.

_#_

_#_

_#_

During the first month we fashioned together a working routine. We had brought additional provisions in the SUV's and cars but it seemed that my Father had also sent in several truckloads of supplies before we'd arrived. That coupled with the basic set up of the shelter meant we were self-reliant and separated from the outside world, although some parties ventured out for reconnaissance and security purposes. By popular vote our commune was named New Boston, and until we reached full capacity of five thousand we would open the doors to any refugees who happened to stumble upon our shelter.

Some of the Boston evacuees came from a political background and had tried to muscle their way into leading our group. However, the members of Boston Police Department quickly closed ranks and insisted I be voted in as leader. I'm not sure what I had done to deserve this dubious honor, but Frankie jokingly said that I had gone from the Queen of the Dead to the Queen of the Living. I think Jane would have appreciated the irony.

Because of my Fathers attention to detail recreating the lab facilities, and our close proximity to the teaching hospital, much to our surprise we'd been better placed than we'd initially thought to try and come up with an antidote for the virus. A few of the survivors from the hospital were some of the best Doctors and Virologists in the world and had miraculously escaped the awful scourge. I had immediately joined their ranks, although I found my time helping to find a cure was limited after I had been elected leader. Almost straight away it had been discovered that woman seemed less affected, the same for children. That gave the scientists a basis to work from. We'd all willingly volunteered blood samples to help narrow down whatever it was that gave us protection. Progress was slow, but there was progress.

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Life, and the daily routine, rumbled on as it had done since we moved into this shelter. Work would start and finish with the rise and fall of the sun. Each person had been allotted a task suited to their talents. Vince Korsak became my second in command. He has been my rock and sounding board, a voice of calm and reason that I have learned to trust with my life. Cavanaugh, Frost and Frankie took over organising security. Those on guard duty are equipped and ready to defend the shelter and surrounding lands from random attacks.

People skilled in land management steal themselves away to the outlying small oasis that we have managed to nurture into providing much needed grains and vegetables. We have people skilled in both woodwork and metalwork, and they fashion tools and weapons that we can use in defence and for other general purposes. Luckily the virus has not affected animals. A few horses, pigs, sheep and cattle that were running feral were captured and soon brought back into domestic use, kept in corrals outside during the day, and stabled at night in an adapted tunnel. To supplement our food source we have people out hunting and fishing whenever it is deemed safe. Given the extreme circumstances we determined that the children in our community should have a normal life as possible and three qualified teachers set up a small school in one of the bunk rooms and term times were set to follow what we knew from before doomsday.

Angela Rizzoli was the natural choice to take charge of the food and cooking, she also offered to help out with the children's schooling, having a natural ability and leaning towards both duties. Her only upset came when Tommy, who had joined us the day after we'd arrived from Boston, had gone rogue and set up a transient group. His anger and frustration at the situation overflowing within the first week and he'd blamed us for the loss of Jane and for the lack of progress in finding her. He seemed determined to strike out on his own, and there was nothing we could do to stop him. Seven others had decided to join his group, and so we gave them what we could in supplies and said they'd be welcomed back if they ever changed their minds. The night they left was the first and only time I can recall Angela crying, and it was only Frankie, Vince and I who seemed to be able to provide her solace.

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No time at all seems to have passed, and yet my soul feels as though it's lived a thousand lifetimes. This week sees the anniversary of our first year here. A lot has happened, and at night we can now fully relax, the three foot thick doors have proved themselves worthy against any kind of outside assault, giving us all much needed rest. Some nights we play card games, sing together, or read books that have been salvaged by various members of our little commune. More often than not we are happy to spend the time in silence, taking comfort from the rare chance of peace and quiet.

For this past twelve months luck has been on our side, we are well shielded by the sea on one side and the cliff-face that towers above the strips of precious green land which sit directly behind and to either side of us. Few of The Others or Inbetweens have managed to scale its natural defences. The main entrance is via the gateway shaft situated in fields two mile across country and remains permanently closed; now we only use the auxiliary entrance at the cliff base. Our numbers slowly grew as more survivors found our community, finally leveling off about a month ago at 3119 men, women and children.

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Today is the day. A year ago our lives changed forever. To mark the occasion we decided to close down the shelter to everything except essential chores. No formal service of remembrance was being held, but people were being encouraged to remember those lost to the disease. I had found a quiet spot looking out towards the sea through one of the large ventilation shafts. The maintenance door was set halfway up the cliff and secure from outside attack, but when opened from the inside it afforded a peaceful view that allowed you to forget, if only momentarily, the horrors that surrounded us. There was even a convenient ledge on the inner section at allowed me to sit in relative comfort. It was there that Angela found me.

"You're pushing yourself too hard, between giving people weapons training, lab work and leadership responsibilities you're going to burn out if you're not careful." Sighing Angela sat beside me, knowing I wouldn't answer when the conversation became too personal for my liking. She held out a travel mug. "Here, some coffee, the beans we were growing were harvested last month, we'll have enough each year to provide us with at least one serving a week."

Looking at the mug in disbelief I closed my eyes and savoured the smell of the freshly ground beans. "Why didn't you let the council know you'd managed this?" I gratefully accepted the liquid heaven.

Angela shrugged. "I figured that with the upcoming twelve month anniversary of us arriving here, people might like a moral boost."

For the first time in a long time I gave the older Rizzoli a genuine smile and rested my head on her shoulder. "Thank you, it's perfect."

She snorted. "I've already had six men and two women offering to marry me as I dished out the coffee before coming out here. I think they were more interested in the coffee though."

I lifted my head to take a sip of dark beverage and couldn't stop the moan of pleasure escape as the taste hit me.

Smiling Angela got up, and patting me fondly on the cheek she said. "My work here is done. I'll see you tonight."

I nodded at her before going back to my silent contemplations.

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The next day I was outside. The sun from the mid-summer giving the effect of a near perfect day at the seaside, that's if you chose to ignore the armed patrols and obvious cliff defences. I was in the holding paddock checking on the horses in my care. The young mare that I'd broken early on in the year was coming along nicely. She was a willing learner, taking to both riding and harness work as if it was her destiny. She was a good 16 hands high, pure black with a strong yet kind countenance. I soon discovered she had little patience for the men of our group, reacting much better to the female workers.

In these trying times I tried not to get too attached to anybody or anything. It was a fairly normal reaction among the survivors. We'd all lost far too much to risk putting our hearts on the line once more. I called it part of the survival strategy. Yet this mare got under my skin, something about her burrowed deeply into my psyche. As I absently scratched her face I found myself whispering that I thought her presence was going to be important somehow. For whatever reason I'd held off naming her, I instinctively knew that job belonged to another.

Shaken from my thoughts by a shout coming from the auxiliary tunnel I turned to go, getting a gentle goodbye nudge from the mare as I shut the gate.

As I walked up to the dark tousled haired teenager who had grabbed my attention I brushed the dust off my leather pants.

Knowing that good behavior was significance towards keeping people in a positive frame of mind I made myself smile at his infectious bright nature and I asked. "What's up Mike?"

"Council meeting."

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. "Already, we only had one yesterday, any idea why they've called another one so soon?"

"Nope, but they seem pretty happy about something," Mike shrugged. We all knew false hope led to disappointment, so you soon learnt that the most to wish for was a day uninterrupted by violence. But still, a shred of anticipation flared through my body, which I quickly tampered down.

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The moment I stepped foot inside the inner room where we held council meetings I knew something major had happened. However, it was hard to judge if it was a good or bad atmosphere, so I braced myself for the latter. I expected my second in command to tell us what was happening, and I went to stand by his side at the back wall. Instead of Korsak stepping forward I was surprised to see the head of the laboratory technicians leave a huddled group and make his way towards me. An expectant hush fell over the twenty or so people present.

The short wiry man cleared his throat nervously and fiddled with his glasses. "Erm, I think we've finally cracked it."

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In defending ourselves we found the only way to stop those infected by the virus was to cut off their heads, a necessary horrific and gruesome task. As the one person with fencing experience I had taken over the training of others in sword use. Jane had often teased me about fencing not being a real sport but it was that sport which now helped keep us alive. In addition to the fencing, I also taught archery, both as a method of defence and for hunting.

Due to the bloody nature of the killing of affected people we tried to avoid contact with what could be contaminated blood. Often it was unavoidable and because of the risk to our own health, tests were automatically made to check for other diseases. During these tests it was also discovered the virus neutralized the effects of things like HIV and hepatitis so blood samples were always taken from those we'd had to sadly kill. Over the year some major progress had been made but the stumbling block was the delivery method for the antidote they hoped would work. It turned out its shelf life was very limited and it couldn't be released in any kind of airborne form. Liquid had been tried but again there had been problems in keeping the vials at optimum temperature.

Frustrated to be stymied at this late stage the council that we had formed to run the community ordered the lab to take a four week break and come back to the problem afresh. They had resumed work ten days previously.

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A stunned silence followed the technician's proclamation. Eventually I found my voice and croaked out. "What?" Ok, not the most eloquent response I must admit, but we feared this day would never come.

"We've cracked it."

Sensing hesitation in his tone I prompted. "But?"

"But we need somebody to take it out and try on a subject."

"So a walk in the park for me," I tried to keep the atmosphere light, and the expected opposition to my suggestion was instant.

"No," the vehement answer came from within the main group of council members, and Angela stepped forward, her eyes blazing with anger. "You've done more than most to maintain this community. It's time for somebody else to step forward."

I grasped her hands in mine. "Angela, you know it's not in my nature to pass this task off to another. We've been through this and..."

"And nothing," she interrupted. "I know at the start many older people thought you were far too young to be elected our leader." She snorted her derision. "But they were proved wrong, first with your offer of this shelter to all that it could accommodate. Then you came up with the idea of linking up transient groups via hidden message containers in order to keep a news feed and help-line going. And not least the constant belief that in order to govern you lead from the front, often being the first to risk injury or death in the quest to find further resources and help for the benefit of everybody else. We may be immune from the virus, but we're still vulnerable to good old fashioned beatings, mauling and mutilation"

She shook her head, the long greying hair coming free from its loosely tied bun and framing her fine boned face in the process. "Please, I'm not beyond begging, I'm imploring you, don't do this."

Seeing the sadness that crossed Angela's face my resolve very nearly crumbled, but then I remembered the loss of my family, and it instantly strengthened, I deliberately softened my voice knowing Angela would be upset. "I can't, I took an oath, and I intend to see it through."

"Crap! I knew you say that," she replied miserably and hugged me tightly. "But you'd better come back unharmed or I'm going to give you such a kick up the backside you won't be able to sit down for a week."

I gave a strangled half laugh, half sob. "I'll hold you to that," I whispered into her ear.

Reluctantly Angela pulled away, once more giving the floor to the lab technician.

I turned my attention back to the matter at hand. "Ok, will any test subject do, or do you have a preference between The Others and The Inbetweens?"

"As you know we want the first subject to be female. Regarding grouping, either will be alright, although we'd prefer one from The Others. We know there is a chance this could actually cause grave pain to the subject. If it's one of The Others and things go wrong then hopefully they won't suffer as much because their cognitive processes are so suppressed."

I could only agree with his grim analyses and closed the meeting by arranging my departure for first light.

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'Test subject'. The phrase kept bouncing around my head all evening. For our own sanity we used the term 'test subject' to lessen the emotional impact of thinking about the humans who had been lost to this illness. Yet the impersonal term still grated on my nerves, even though I knew it was necessary. I longed for the day when those people could be called human once more. I had little doubt that we would succeed in our endeavours to save those we could. But the world would never be the same again. Quite how democracy could be re-installed throughout the world was going to be a huge challenge. I knew only time would tell, but I fervently hoped that mankind had finally learnt its lesson.

Much later than normal I drifted off to sleep.

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	4. Chapter 4: Tracking and Capture

**A/N. Thank you for the reviews, and yes, Jane will be making an appearance sometime in the next two chapters, but I'm saying no more than that. And I thought I'd add a little bit of background as to what inspired me to write the story. It was at the request of a friend of mine. He liked Zombie stories, but wanted something written focusing more on the emotional impact. The bomb shelter idea came about from the genuine sale several years back of an old council nuclear bunker not far from where I live, and I remember thinking at the time it would be a cool thing to buy. Although that bunker was nothing like the one I've described, the Isles one is purely out of my imagination.**

**I hope you carry on enjoying the story. Without further ado, I leave you to peruse this next chapter.**

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Chapter four: Tracking and Capture.

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I checked the sword at my side and slung the bow and quiver full of arrows across my back.

Angela was beside me, tying up any loose equipment. Leather was now the most common material for clothing, I was surprised that I didn't miss my high heeled shoes and designer clothes, but I guess trying times tend to put things into perspective. The time for vanity was long past. Admittedly it did help that, to my surprise, I found leather comfortable, especially as we had several accomplished seamstresses amongst our number so it always fitted well.

Finally satisfied Angela scowled at me. "Sure I can't change your mind?"

I forced a smile at the attempt to break the tension, she knew baiting me would take my mind off the harm that I might do to another being. "Not a chance."

"Pfft, might have guessed, I thought us Rizzoli's were stubborn women, but you beat us all. Just don't come crawling back to me full of woes, you hear!"

Unexpectedly I laughed out loud, I couldn't help it, if anybody had heard Angela they would have though she was totally unfeeling, when in fact she was one the few people I'd allowed myself get attached to over the years. I loved her dearly and knew Angela felt the same way about me. We both stood stunned for a moment, silently acknowledging that I hadn't given a spontaneous laugh since Jane had gone missing. The hope that this vaccine might provide answers was obviously affected me more than I'd realized.

I immediately fell back into old habits and started sprouting facts, my Google-mouth as Jane called it. "Did you know the Aphra Behn was a prolific dramatist of the English Restoration and was one of the first English professional female writers? Her writing contributed to the amatory fiction genre of British literature. Along with Delarivier Manley and Eliza Haywood, she is sometimes referred to as part of "The fair triumvirate of wit."

"No, I didn't know that, but you still can't deny you laughed."

"No, I guess I can't. And I promise I'll be careful. I might be a font of knowledge, but even I dare not risk your wrath."

She nodded sharply. "Huh, you youngsters might be learning after all."

"We've got good teachers."

The task couldn't be put off any longer. I nervously fingered the vial the Doctor had given me. Angela closed her hand over mine, stilling its movement.

"You're good at this because deep down you still care." I was shocked to see tears brimming in Angela's eyes. I had only known her cry when Tommy left. She drew in a deep breath. "You never lost hope, or compassion, if it wasn't for you I don't know if we could have survived."

Holding back my own tears I nodded, understanding her message to just be the person I'd always been. Simultaneously taking deep breaths we left the room and headed over to the entrance. We exited onto the beach to find one of the horses had been readied, a small wiry palomino mare. She was perfect for speed, stamina and agility. Mike was standing at her side, and wordlessly he handed me the reins.

Without a single word I turned towards the sea, I'd never known it so quiet. There was a weight of expectation in the air. It was a fairly short swim to the outskirts of our community, and over the year we'd trained all the animals to swim the waters in case we needed to suddenly evacuate the shelter.

The palomino obediently followed me into the sea, and using the tide to our favour we set off for the swim around the headland. It took about twenty minutes, and before we fully emerged from the water I made a visual sweep across the beach we'd be landing on to make sure it was clear of danger. Satisfied I led the mare up onto the sand, quickly checked her tack and hopped into the saddle. Success or failure was now up to me.

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After a quick exit from the beach I was pleasantly surprised to find that numbers of The Others was a lot less than it had been on other excursions. Unfortunately I found none were suitable to administer the antidote to because they all had injuries that would be too serious to survive if they were ever revived. I had a strict criteria based on the triage principal, that was one thing from which I couldn't deviate.

Quickly we headed into the tree line, the undergrowth and trees having taken over rapidly once humans had stopped cultivating the lands.

As the day wore on I was getting increasingly frustrated. Twice the mare had saved me from ambush in the trees, skirting away at the last moment, sensing the danger as much as seeing it. I still had not found a person that I could use. Tracking several subjects had proved fruitless and I was just thinking that I might have to resort to returning before nightfall, or using a lesser subject when we broke into a clearing.

'Bingo' I thought as I saw the back of a tall woman with wild raven black hair and I dismounted the mare whilst at a trot, using the forward momentum to carry myself past the dangerous flaying arms which could prove lethal if they made contact.

At my whistles the mare obeyed her training and ran interference between the two of us as I quickly unslung my bow and the specially adapted arrows. Slotting the vial into place I could only offer up a quick hope that this system would work. It had been based on tranquilliser darts, but because we needed to be a safe distance away from the target the bow was the only thing light, yet powerful and accurate enough to use as a delivery system.

Remembering my training I planted my feet, took a split second to relax my shoulders before raising the bow and letting the arrow loose. My aim was true and the arrow hit with an accompanying howl from the woman as it struck her shoulder. I was momentarily distracted when she turned around, and I was staring into soulful brown eyes. My momentary lack of concentration allowed her to attack, throwing me to the ground with an inhuman noise. She fell on top of me, and just as I expected her to go for a disabling hit she paused and shook her head. For a fleeting second I could have sworn emotional responses glowed within those amazingly familiar orbs. Whatever caused it, her hesitation was all the time I needed to whistle the mare over and as trained she got her head under the body on top of me and threw the woman off with a massive effort.

Shaken I stood and I realised that my eyes had not deceived me. It was indeed the person I loved who lay motionless on the ground. I wondered if I dare hope that the antidote might have worked and I approached the prone form carefully. Kneeling down I checked her condition, then fell back onto my heels barely able to believe what my eyes were seeing. "We might have done it Jane," I found myself whispering into the still afternoon air. "My God Jane, we might have done it."

Aware that time was running short, I directed the mare to kneel on the ground beside my prone friend, and with a huge effort I managed to lift the taller woman into the saddle and tie her into place before I remounted behind and heading back towards the safety of the compound. I asked a lot of the mare on the return journey. I had no way of knowing how quickly Jane would wake up and what sort of state she would be in once she came around. I'd trust Jane with my life, but I had to remember this wasn't Jane as we'd known her and I wanted her under close guard before she recovered.

The little palomino answered all that I asked of her, and we made good time back to the headland beach. I altered the position of the Jane on the saddle so her head would be kept above water while we made our swim back to the shelter. I had to wait about ten minutes for the most favourable tide, but stayed right on the water's edge in case we had to make an emergency exit. One thing The Others and The Inbetweens couldn't do was swim and we used that to our fullest advantage.

As I expected Angela was sitting on the beach waiting for my return, the moment she saw the mare round the headland she called out to the other people present. With wide eyes they watched as we dragged our way back up the beach, finally exhausted by the day's excursions. I knelt in the sand while eager hands untied Jane, so many Doctors and other medical staff surrounded her that she was shielded from Angela's view for the moment. They were obviously all keen to see if the antidote was working. Vaguely I realized Mike had taken the mares reins, but before he could lead her away I remembered to say. "Make sure she gets extra special treatment, she outdid herself today."

"Sure will," he grinned. "Do you think it's worked?"

I looked towards the excited throng of medical staff and thought back to the brown eyes that had been so captivating and for the sole selfish reason of wanting my friend back I answered. "I hope so Mike, I truly hope so."

I missed the contemplative look Angela cast my way when she heard the gentle tone I'd used. Before my tired and slightly battered body could register what was happening, her soft hands helped me to my feet. "Time for a hot shower honey, you've earned it."

"No," shaking my head I resisted Angela's help, I knew she was puzzled by my reluctance to go back inside, at that moment I saw Korsak approach from the side and I was grateful he was there when I broke the news. "No," I reiterated my previous statement. "Angela you don't realize." I choked back a sob.

"Realize what?" She understandably looked confused.

I threw a glance at Vince hoping he'd pick up on my distress, he must have noticed because he moved closer to Angela in silent support. I grabbed hold of both her hands. "Angela, the person I brought back, the person I used the antidote on is Jane."

Wrenching her hands out of mine they flew to her face as she stumbled back in shock, Vince Korsak catching her in his capable arms.

"It's true Angela, she's here." While I was talking the medical staff had loaded Jane onto a gurney and had got as far as the inner door.

"Oh Janie, my baby, my baby," Angela was sobbing into Vince's neck, and he looked to me for guidance.

"Take her to Jane Vince, I need to get cleaned up and changed before giving the council a briefing."

"But…"

I cut him off. I knew what he was going to say.

"I'll be there Vince, but first I need to let Frankie and Barry know, then I'll deal with the council." What I didn't say was that I wasn't sure I could face seeing Jane like this, at least not while there were a lot of other people around. Yes, I had a responsibility to the council, but given the circumstances they would have let Korsak take my place for the de-briefing. However, I knew Jane would be kept in a coma for a while to allow tests to be conducted. I vowed I would be there when she woke up, but for now I needed to process all that had happened. And I couldn't do that if I went straight to her side.

Angela, to her credit, quickly recovered, and wiping her face free of tears with one hand, she clasped the front of Korsak's shirt with the other as if it were a lifeline. "She's right Vince, please take me to Jane, Maura will be along as soon as she can." She looked at me. "You'll tell Frankie right away?"

"I promise Angela, I promise." I pressed my lips together hard, emotions I thought were no longer a part of me swirling around my mind unchecked.

"Right you are Doc, I'll take care of her, don't worry." And I knew Korsak not only meant Angela but Jane as well, I nodded my thanks to him.

Turning towards the entrance, we parted once we were inside the door, Angela and Korsak heading towards the infirmary, me to look for Frankie and Barry.

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I spotted the two men sitting inside the security office, they appeared to be going over the weekly guard rota and they looked surprised when I appeared in the doorway.

"Hey Doc," Frost was the first to speak, and from their puzzled looks I knew my own expression must have given away some of the turmoil of the last few hours. I closed the door behind me. "OK." He placed the paper he was holding onto the desk. "This is serious then."

I nodded. "Er, Frankie…"

I didn't get to finish, Frankie was up on his feet and by my side in a second. "Oh my God, is it Ma? Please tell me it's not Ma."

I grabbed his shaking hands. "It's not Ma."

"Oh thank God," For a moment he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, before his eyes flew open again. "So if it's not Ma what's wrong? Tommy?"

'Breathe' I reminded myself, 'this is hopefully good news' I took a moment to center my thoughts, as I'd learnt through yoga, before I answered him. "No, Frankie, the person I found to use the antidote on was Jane." I could see he was going vasovagal on me, so I hurriedly guided him back to his seat and placed his head between his knees. Looking over I could see Barry was equally as shocked, and his face had taken on a shade lighter than his normal dark tones.

Frost was the first one to speak. "Jane? But… but how? I mean, we left her behind in Boston."

Shaking my head as I answered him I was pleased Frankie seemed to be OK. "Honestly Barry, I have no idea, I didn't even realise it who it was until I'd hit her with the arrow."

Frankie was struggling to his feet. "I have to go to her," he stopped. "Oh God, Ma, does she know?"

I was quick to reassure. "Yes, and as soon as you and Barry leave I'll get a message sent out on the transient system for Tommy."

"Ok, good," he looked flustered, not that I could blame him. "I'll …. I'll …. "

"It's alright Frankie," I tugged him into a light hug. "Just go."

He pulled away, and with a brief nod he and Frost left the room. I picked up the telephone and called Cavanaugh, I thought it best that he was the next person to be told, as he could carry on with security arrangements, and send out the message for Tommy while I dealt with the council. He was equally astounded at the turn of events, but promised to keep things quiet and allow us all to find out what was happening with Jane's treatment without others bombarding us with unnecessary questions and concerns.

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Sinking my head into the shower wall I allowed the luxury of the hot water to cascade down my neck and shoulders. The hot water was pretty much unlimited thanks to the power plant and borehole, however, soap and shampoo were a rare treat. One of the women in the shelter could make soap from plant extracts, so we had basic cleaning abilities, but shampoo was rationed. I'd saved mine up for this very moment. Relying on the sea water to wash the grime from my scalp on a daily basis was all very well, but it left my hair tangled beyond belief. Moaning in sheer pleasure I rinsed the suds away from my face and found myself wondering how Jane was. I knew she'd be in the area we'd created by the old main entrance for quarantine purposes. Part of me wanted to go straight to the quarantine tunnel to see how she was doing, but I knew the council would be impatient for a debriefing. I turned off the water, towelled myself dry and quickly dressed. Putting aside my personal wants, I became the leader of the council and went towards the main meeting room.

At the last second I turned around and allowed myself the guilty pleasure of going to see Jane before I was tied up in an official capacity.

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When I arrived at the isolation suite, I let myself into Jane's room and was surprised to find that apart from a technician and Jane the room was empty of people. Glancing around, I finally spotted Angela and the men in the adjoining observation room.

"Why aren't the Rizzoli's and friends in this room?" I demanded to know.

The Tech looked at me puzzled. "It's a restricted area, only members of the medical staff are being allowed in to see Jane Doe, you came up with the protocol, so I refused them entry."

"What in blazes are you talking about, Jane Doe?"

"Well, yes, everybody's been calling her Jane. As we'd discussed, we were calling her Jane Doe until we knew different."

"And the extreme distress," I made sure I emphasised the word extreme. "That the people are showing in the observation room didn't give you a clue?"

"I'm sorry, a clue to what? I just thought that they were upset and calling out the name Jane because this is such an emotional thing for us to be doing. They are after all prominent members of the council and heavily involved in this scheme."

"Oh for God's sake!" I snapped, and the tech looked amazed, I'd never snapped at anybody before. However, I could feel my anger rising and as much as I wanted to check it's progress it was building like a pressure cooker and this poor moronic sap was in the way.

"Who's that?" I ordered, pointing to Angela as I spoke.

"Er, Mrs Rizzoli."

"And who's that?" I turned my attention to Frankie.

"Well, that's Frankie Rizzoli."

"Way hay! We're two for two here. So…" I'm sure Jane would have been proud of my sarcasm as I focused on Jane. "Who is that on the bed?"

The tech looked worried, and I could tell he had no idea where this line of questioning was going. "Jane Doe."

"NO you bumbling idiot. That. Is. Jane. RIZZOLI! "By the end my voice was so loud I was sure the whole complex could have heard me, even through the soundproofing of the room we were in.

The tech in front of me paled at my onslaught, and could only stand there gaping at me like a stranded fish.

"Get out!" I roared. "And send in somebody who has a shred of common sense."

"Yes … yes .. right away," the tech spluttered, and nearly tripped over his own feet in his haste to get away.

I moved to open the door to the observation room. "Come on," I gestured. They didn't need telling twice, and rushed forward to be at Jane's bedside. I watched for a moment before quietly taking my leave, my destiny wasn't there for the moment; I had the council to see.

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Buzzing talk assaulted my ears the moment I entered the council chamber. Quickly people registered that I was present and it slowly fell quieter, but the room still held a muted undertone. For the first time in a year people were cautiously allowing themselves to cling onto some hope that this nightmare might have some end. I took a deep breath and strode forward, wrapping myself in a confidence I wasn't entirely sure I believed in.

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	5. Chapter 5: Jane

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews and story alerts. I have a very busy three weeks coming up, and so I won't be able to update as often as I have been doing. However, I will be writing as much as I can as and when I get the time, and hope to at least get one chapter a week posted for the time being. **

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Chapter five: Jane.

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I couldn't sleep, the evening replayed in my mind over and over again.

The debriefing had rumbled on, and late into the meeting, the three main Doctors in charge of the antidote project finally arrived to deliver their verdict.

I showed them to the table we'd left vacant for them, and they sat down before telling us of their findings.

"Well, we can confirm she was an Inbetweener, and we think the antidote is working," the appointed head of medicine announced, his unruly mop of brown hair falling forward and across his eyes in his excitement. "It's a bit early to be sure but we're quietly confident."

"When can I see her?" For some inexplicable reason I needed to ask.

The Doctor looked surprised at the question. "Er, I would think anytime, although she's not showing any signs of coming around soon."

"I'll be there." I looked around the room wondering if anybody would challenge my decision, but I only saw acceptance on the faces of the other council members.

"Any more you can tell us at this stage?"

"Nothing, the rest really depends on how she is when she wakes up."

"I'll be here a little while longer, you'll let me know the minute there's any change?"

"Of course," The Doctor assured me. "If you don't mind we'll get back to monitoring quarantine."

At the nods from everybody present the three men got up and left the council to conclude the evening's business.

The rest of the meeting was taken up with the council letting me know what had been going on in the shelter while I was away. Finally we finished and Cavanaugh stood and tapped the table in front of him to get everybody's attention. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I think Maura has earned the right to take time away from her responsibilities to be with Jane and her family." There was an undertone of muttered agreement throughout the room. Pleased I had such support I stood by Cavanaugh's side and touched his arm in thanks. He nodded at me, tapped the table once more and finished off by sending people home.

A few council members hung back to check on me, and to offer their gratitude for my work before I finally found myself alone.

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I recalled the Doctors words, yet for some reason I almost hesitated to go down to the quarantine area. Shaking my head at the stupidity that I was nervous, I hopped onto my golf cart and made my way down the empty corridors. And as I expected security leading into the wing had been tightened, but they let me through without any hesitation.

Greedily drinking in the sight of my friend, I stood leaning against the large glass window separating the Jane from the rest of the world. To see her lying in the bed, calm as if she was only sleeping, you could have easily believed that there was nothing wrong with her. Until you looked closely, then the wild, unkempt hair, broken nails, dirt smudged eyes and pallor to the skin told the real story. Here was a person whose mental state was going to be as badly affected as her physical health. I made a quiet oath that I wanted to bring back the sparkle to those captivating eyes and slowly I untangled myself from leaning against the window and made my way to the room.

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Hearing the door open, Angela turned in the chair by left hand side of the bed. Frankie, Frost and Korsak were all sat on the other side of the room.

Various machines hummed and beeped, pretty much the same machines you would find in any old ICU unit, although thankfully Jane was breathing on her own. Grabbing the chart from the end of the bed, I skimmed the information that was noted down. Most informative as far I was concerned was the improvement of Jane's SOFA score. The Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score is used to track a patient's status during the stay in an intensive care unit. SOFA is a scoring system to determine the extent of a person's organ function or rate of failure. The score is based on six different scores, one each for the respiratory, cardiovascular, hepatic, coagulation, renal and neurological systems. And while it is one of several ICU scoring systems, it was the one I scrutinized because it was almost certainly the most accurate when assessing the effectiveness of the antidote.

The Doctors had been correct in their calculations, given the available information it seemed as if the antidote was worked.

"Well?" Angela breathlessly asked, her face strained, I knew until I confirmed what she had already been told she wouldn't want to believe that Jane could be coming back to us.

My grin preceded my statement. "They're right, it's looking hopeful."

There wasn't a dry eye in the room, and for the first time since we'd arrived here, I allowed myself to cry along with them.

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Pulling up the remaining chair I sat next to Angela, and she took my hand with the one that wasn't holding onto Jane's. "Why don't you go to your room and get some sleep, you've had a long day, and they're keeping Jane sedated."

Finally admitting my fears out loud I focused my eyes on Jane's face. "I'm afraid if I go to sleep I'll wake up to find this has all been a dream."

"Oh honey, I know what you mean, but Vince and Barry are going to have to get back to work soon, and Frankie and I can't be here the whole time. If you get some rest now, you can take over for us."

"But surely you want to be here in case she wakes up?"

"I do sweetie, I do, but I suspect the one person Jane will want to see more than anybody is you, and you need to be fresh for that."

I felt tears pooling once more, soon after our arrival Angela had confided in me that she had guessed how much I loved Jane. What had stunned me at the time was Angela's conviction that Jane had felt the same way.

Here was the Mother giving way to the person who had grown to love her daughter. It was a remarkable gesture of love towards both Jane and me. I was in effect, being treated as Jane's next of kin.

Taking Angela's advice I returned to my room, hence the problem of being unable to fall asleep. Although much to my surprise exhaustion took over and I got an important couple hours of rest. And despite the fact I had woken early the first thing I did was go to the internal telephone system and asked how Jane was doing. Pleased to hear she was showing signs of coming around I went to find Korsak and Frost told them I'd be in quarantine the rest of the day, and assigned the jobs I would normally do to their care.

Trying not to run and appear too keen I made my way through the tunnels and passageways until I reached quarantine. The Doctor who had spoken at the meeting the previous evening was there to greet me. Angela had been discussing something with him, but when she saw me she smiled broadly and said. "I've explained to Graham that where Jane is concerned you're family. So for now I'm going to get some sleep before heading back to the kitchens. Cooking always helps me relax in stressful situations."

I nodded, understanding her need to keep busy by doing something constructive, and she hugged me goodbye before heading out, leaving me alone with the Doctor.

"Maura," he held out his hand, which I shook. "Glad you're the one taking this on. I think we're going to need you."

"Need me?" I knew I looked puzzled. "You know I don't do well with live patients, and although we can't afford to be picky when we have so few Doctors on staff, I'm not sure about the ethics of me being too closely involved with Jane's treatment. Why do you need me?"

He smiled as if he understood something I didn't. "You'll see," he said cryptically as he pushed opened the doors and ushered me inside.

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Immediately I could see a change in the woman from the night before. Then Jane had lain still, whereas now she was tossing and turning as if in the throes of a nightmare.

Interestingly as we got closer she seemed to sense our presence and calmed down somewhat.

The Doctor took me right up to the bedside and made a few notes from her chart, I let him do what he needed to do while I studied Jane in a bit more detail. Her colour was better than it had been, although she still looked a bit pale, I expected that to remain until her body had chance to recoup the vitamins and minerals that she would have lost over the year. Especial concern had been raised about Jane's electrolytes. All known higher lifeforms require a subtle and complex electrolyte balance between the intracellular and extracellular environment. In particular, the maintenance of precise osmotic gradients of electrolytes is important. Such gradients affect and regulate the hydration of the body as well as blood pH, and are critical for nerve and muscle function. The IV running into Jane's arm was replacing those losses as fast as we dared push them into her body.

The Doctor leant over and lifting an eyelid shone a penlight to test pupil reaction. Grunting non-committedly he made a notation before turning to me. "We're a bit short of nurses." I was quite surprised, we had a few survivors with nurse training, and a lot of people had taken a crash course in emergency care from the qualified among us.

He anticipated my question. "Not everybody wants to work this closely with Jane's recovery until we can be sure it's worked."

"Ah," I understood peoples reaction, nursing Jane could be a painful reminder of loved ones lost to this disease.

"So let me guess, and you know I don't guess, I've got the day-shift?"

"Yes and no, after you left last night we noticed that Jane got more agitated. She seemed calmer when her friends and family were about, but you seem to trigger a broader response than most."

I was intrigued. "Why do you think that is?"

He shrugged. "It could be a hundred reasons, some not even related to the virus. Personally I think it's because you're the one closest to her. I'm guessing she recognises you on some base level as the person trying to help her.

I turned back to look at Jane's face, before I quietly settled myself into the chair by her bed, knowing it was going to be a long day.

Time had gone slowly, and apart from being able to help get Jane cleaned up there wasn't a lot more I could do. Painkillers weren't having any affect in calming her down, in fact, as the Doctor had said, my presence seemed to help more. By lunchtime I found myself holding one hand while my other hand smoothed the hair away from her face. I talked away, it seemed like nonsense, but I held onto the hope that she could hear me on some level.

At first I wasn't sure, but then as time went on I became more aware of pressure being applied to my hand from the fingers I was holding. Telling Jane to hold on I reached over and activated the button above the bed that would call the Doctor.

"Maur," a voice suddenly rasped, making me jump.

"What?" I looked down to see brown eyes regarding me with a mixture of hope and fear.

"You're real," she closed her eyes as if all her energy had been drained from such a simple act, I was going to reply when the door burst open and the medical staff flooded through.

I found myself pushed aside as they started to run tests on Jane, I stood against the wall all-but forgotten. She had recognised me, Jane had recognised me. I felt relief flood through me as I went to the wall phone and called Angela with the news.

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Within ten minutes Angela and Frankie were running through the doors to the isolation unit. I'd stepped out of Jane's room to greet them and I held up my hands to halt their progress.

"Whoa, hold on and I'll tell you what I know before we go back in there."

"How is she, what did she say, when will they finish the tests, when can we see her?" The questions from Angela came so fast they almost ran together.

"First of all she's awake and seems alert, but understandably she's very tired. She only got to say my name and comment that I was real before the medical staff got there. They expect the initial tests to be completed any moment now, and so long as we keep out of the way we can go straight in."

Apprehensively Frankie pushed open the door to Jane's room, and stood to one side allowing Angela and myself to enter first.

Angela gave a loud gasp when she saw the activity around Jane, and brought her hands up to her mouth as she tried to bring her emotions under control. Frankie rapidly moved to her side and took an arm to help steady his Mother.

I walked up to the Doctor, and waited until he noticed my presence. When I had his attention I motioned towards the Rizzoli's. "Graham, do you have a moment for them?"

"Yes, yes, of course," he removed his gloves, and moved over to give us an update. "We're pleased with Jane's response. She seems coherent, and able to answer basic questions."

"She knows who she is?" Frankie asked.

"Absolutely, although we're not going to push with too many questions about what she can remember. There is a real risk of extreme post-traumatic stress disorder, and until we've got her physically stabilized we don't want to risk pushing her into a psychotic break."

"What is that? What does that mean?" Angela looked towards me, and so I answered as best I could.

"Psychosis is from the Ancient Greek and it means abnormal condition of the mind, it is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality". People suffering from psychosis are described as psychotic. Psychosis is given to the more severe forms of psychiatric disorder, during which hallucinations and delusions and impaired insight may occur. It is a very real hazard with Jane, but hopefully, if we tread carefully it won't happen. Just be aware of the risk when talking to her, and don't press her for answers she can't give, or is unwilling to provide for whatever reason."

"OK," Angela looked at Frankie for support. "OK. We can do that can't we Frankie?"

"Sure Ma," he was quick to reassure. "Whatever she needs we'll give her. Whatever Maura askes of us, we'll do. By some miracle we got her back, and we're not about to lose her now."

"You're right," Angela gulped, and nodded her head seriously. "This is about Janie, and I need to remember that. Maura?"

"Yes Angela,"

"Promise me you'll be there for Janie, Promise you'll be at her side the whole way."

"That's the easiest promise I've ever had to make. I won't leave her to deal with this alone."

Angela sniffed. "Thank you, I suspect you're the only one she won't push away."

She pulled both and Frankie and I into a fierce hug, when Graham came and interrupted us. "You can have a bit of time alone with Jane now."

Angela grasped his hand. "Thank you Doctor, thank you."

He smiled. "I can honestly say it was a group effort. Don't try and push the conversation, let Jane rest as much as possible."

Approaching the bed, Jane must have sensed us because her eyes opened, and with a little effort they managed to focus on tracking our progress.

"Hi baby," Angela took hold of one hand. "How are you feeling?"

Jane licked her lips, and with a voice much hoarser than we were used to hearing, even from Jane, she replied. "Like shit. What happened?"

I moved to stand next to Angela. "What was the last thing you remember?"

"You came to my apartment, I wasn't feeling well. The rest is a bit of a blur, odd memories here and there, but mostly nightmares." She shuddered. "They weren't pleasant."

"That's good," I knew reassuring Jane was the best way of helping her right now. "But you really need to rest before we talk about what happened, the important thing is you're safe, and we're here with you."

"OK," Jane's eyes fluttered shut before, with an obvious effort, she forced them open again. "You'll stay?"

"For as long as you need, now rest," I reached out to smooth the slight frown away from her brow.

"K" Again her eyes fluttered shut, and her breathing evened out indicating she was asleep.

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	6. Chapter 6: The Start of a Slow Recovery

**A/N: OK, I know that episode 3 of the new season has got a mixed response, and I was finally able to watch it the other day … And without realizing beforehand, imagine my surprise when Zombies are mentioned. So here is the continuing story of my version. Despite the lack of Rizzles in the TV episode, I dedicate this chapter to 'This is How a Heart Breaks.' … **

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Chapter six: The Start of a Slow Recovery.

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Angela, Frankie, Frost and Korsak took shifts in keeping me company by Jane's bedside. Angela made sure I was properly fed and keep clean clothes supplied. Jane really didn't wake up much for three days. Her body, having had such a tremendous toll taken on it was obviously taking its time to heal. The Doctors weren't worried by the seemingly slow progress. In fact, they were encouraged because the rest was allowing the antidote to fully work. The few times Jane was conscious she would seek me out, agitated until I could confirm my presence and calm her down. On the second day the medical team had tried to encourage Jane to eat small specially prepared meals. Without my help she refused, eyes silently begging me to be the one to aid her weakened limbs.

Patiently Angela stood by as Jane turned to me at every occasion. Her maternal instincts to smother her daughter with affection must have been dreadfully hard to control. However, I think she was just so relieved to have Jane back within our midst that she would have waited forever if needed.

I would silently do anything Jane asked of me, knowing that she wasn't ready to talk about what had happened, indeed what was currently happening. Her reassurance seemed to come from the fact that we were together, and that her family and friends were also present. I had already spoken to the Psychiatrist we had on staff, and versed myself in known aspects of extreme PTSD, knowing that once Jane started to recall what happened she was likely to sink into a deep depression. My main concern was that Jane would stop responding to the outside world and external stimulus. If she became catatonic, it would be harder to treat as we had very few medicines available that could help her. For the first time I realized that the sanity of another human being lay in my hands. And frankly I was petrified I wouldn't be able to help. Part of The Oath of Hippocrates would rattle around my brain whenever I had too much time alone to ponder outcomes. _ 'I will follow that system of regimen which, according to my ability and judgement, I consider for the benefit of my patients, and abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous.' _

'_According to my ability and For the benefit of my patients'_, were the two phrases that haunted me, but Jane was first and foremost my friend, the person I loved, and I knew at times it was going to be hard for me to separate the two. I only hoped I could do what was being asked of me.

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Day four saw Jane much more alert and talking to me, and so the Doctors decided that they would like to try and get her mobile. I saw the fear in her eyes when several people crowded into the room all wanting to be a part of what was a huge moment in her treatment. Moving close to Jane's face I whispered. "Do you want me to get rid of all these people and be the one do this for you?"

She nodded frantically, and so I soothingly held her forearm to reassure her. Then I caught the attention of Graham and waved him over with my free hand.

"You need to clear the room; it's all a bit too much right now."

"But…"

"No, no buts Graham, I'll make sure this is done, but not at the expense of Jane's mental state. Are. We. Clear?"

I must have glared a bit harder than I realized because he capitulated immediately and shooed everybody else out of the unit.

I turned and smiled gently at Jane. "Hey, is that better?"

"Yes, thank you."

"It's Okay, it's going to be okay, and we'll take this at your pace, alright. So, how about we start by getting you out of that bed, and into the shower room? "

Jane's eyes closed and a groan escaped her lips. "Oh God, a decent shower sounds heavenly right about now."

"Better than sex?" I teased, I'm not sure what prompted me to say what I did, but it obviously helped lighten the mood somewhat.

"Oh yeah. Way better." For the first time Jane gave a very small tentative smile, which I returned.

"Alright, how do you want to do this, there's a moulded seat in the shower if you don't want me in there with you, but I would suggest you keep the door unlocked in case you need me. What if I help you in there, and then I can untie the back of the hospital gown. If you feel up to removing it yourself all well and good, of not I'll help. While you shower I'll sort out some proper sleeping gear for you. How does that sound?

"Good, that sounds good." Jane picked at the sheet edge nervously.

"Hey," I reached out and stilled her hand, and she glanced at me briefly. "You're in control here, I'm here to help, but you're the one who decides when you're ready."

"Thank you," Jane swiped away a stray tear that had run down her cheek. "I don't think I could do this if you weren't here."

"And I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

The gratitude shone through, and Jane motioned that she was ready to make her way into the bathroom.

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Between us we manoeuvred her body so that her legs could be swung onto the ground easily. Jane then stood very carefully using my body as support. Once she was sure nothing was going to give way underneath her Jane nodded that she was ready to continue.

By the time we reached the seat inside the bathroom Jane was sweating and out of breath. "That's impressive," I said. "You did admirably. I'm actually surprised at how well you managed that."

Jane gave an exhausted snort. "Yeah, but it's going to kinda defeat the object of the exercise if I end up sweating like this on the return journey."

I smiled at her. "Then I'll just have to make sure I've got your favourite mode of transport ready."

She groaned. "Oh shit, not a wheelchair."

"The one and only."

Jane seemed to seriously consider that for a moment before saying. "Only if you promise not to tell anybody."

I pantomimed zipping my fingers across my mouth. "My lips are sealed." I was heartened to see Jane give me the ghost of a genuine smile in gratitude. "I'll leave you to it; think you'll be okay for the rest of it?"

"Yeah, now I'm sitting down it doesn't feel so bad."

"Good." I showed Jane where the shower supplies were, all within easy reach of the seat, and as I turned away from her to leave, I took the chance to untie the gown without invading her privacy too much. I closed the door and I heaved a sigh of relief that it had gone better than I had hoped. Taking a minute to compose my frayed nerves I then went to sort out the wheelchair and clothes for when Jane finished.

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The first big hurdle crossed, Jane had managed to dress herself in the sweat pants and tank top that her Mother had somehow succeeded in procuring from somewhere within the shelter. Now she was back in bed, lying back resting, but not yet asleep. Her eyes were closed and I wondered what she was thinking about. It didn't take long before Jane let me in, her voice still much hoarser than usual due to lack of use.

"Something really bad happened didn't it?"

"Jane, I'm not sure …"

"Please don't," she turned to look at me, her eyes imploring me to be honest with her. "You can't lie, and even if you could you're the only one I trust to tell me the truth."

Her voice dropped to a whisper. "My nightmares, they weren't really dreams were they?"

"No, given what's happened I don't think they were."

"What do I do?" The plea was desperate.

Despite all my research I couldn't think of anything else to say. You'd think I'd easily come up with something meaningful or helpful, but no, when asked my mind went blank, that perplexing space where nothing seemed to roll off the tongue. So, I did something that I had never done before, I went with my gut, and crawled up onto the bed next to Jane and pulled her into what I hoped would be a soothing hug. Once within my embrace Jane broke down, and sobbed in my arms, I could only rock her like a child, and coo platitudes into her ear. I fervently hoped it would be enough to see her through this first round of torment.

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Three hours later Angela came by for her customary afternoon visit, only to discover that Jane had fallen asleep in my arms. She motioned with her hand that she would be quiet, and pulled out a small notepad and pencil from her pants pocket.

'_Is everything OK?' _She wrote.

Handing me the pencil and paper, I gave her a quick rundown of what had happened.

'_What can I do to help?' _

'_Not sure, apart from maybe asking the others to postpone their visits for a day or two, I'll let you know, depends on how Jane feels when she wakes.'_

'_I'll come back later then, tell her I popped in and give her my love.'_

After I'd nodded my agreement, Angela snuck out as quietly as she could manage.

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As I'd suspected, when Jane woke up a couple of hours later she was relieved to hear that there wouldn't be any visitors apart from her Mother. Not long after that Angela appeared, with a large covered tray which was emitting tantalising smells from under the lid.

"I thought you'd like some of my cooking."

Jane smiled briefly. "Thanks Ma, it smells wonderful, although I'm not sure my stomachs up too much yet."

Angela waved her hand dismissively as she busied herself with plates and silverware that she had hidden on the tray. "I cleared it with the Doctors first, and I've brought enough for the three of us so don't worry about having too much if you can't cope with it. They wanted you to have something low in gluten so I've made that chicken, tomato, rosemary and polenta dish of your Nonna's that you've always liked so much."

"Ma, you didn't have to go to so much trouble."

"Don't be silly, you're my baby, now eat."

Angela punctuated her comment by placing a plate of delicious smelling food in front of Jane, before turning around and doing the same for me.

"Well," she said as she clapped her hands impatiently. "The food's not going to eat itself, dig in."

Jane and I shared an amused glance before we both attacked the meal, it was as wonderful as it smelled, and if Jane's face was any indication of what mine looked like, there were two very contented people in that room.

Satisfied we were eating. Angela turned around, and grabbing a chair, joined us in the feast.

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"Thanks Ma," Jane's fork clattered onto her empty plate. "I hadn't realized how much I needed that."

I wasn't far behind Jane in finishing. Angela looked pleased, and moved across to fluff up Jane's pillows. "You listen to Maura now you hear."

"Ma!" Jane gave her Mother an exasperated eye roll. "Please, don't fuss."

Angela screeched to a halt. "Sorry, I just love you ya know."

"Yeah Ma I know, but I need to take my time here."

Taking a deep breath Angela nodded. "Okay, I'll get rid of this clutter and leave you too it," she paused. "See you tomorrow?" She added hopefully.

"Yes Ma, see you tomorrow."

The smile returned to Angela's face and within five minutes she had the plates and tray cleared away and said her goodbyes.

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Jane sank back into the pillows. "That was lovely, but it all gets a bit much after a while you know."

I knew Jane was being rhetorical, so I just smiled my assent at her. Silence descended, and I could see Jane was debating about asking something.

"What is it?" I asked as I reached for her hand. "You know you can talk to me."

Jane looked across, and I could see the apprehension in her eyes. "How long … I mean, how long has it been? I know it's been a while, but please, tell me."

"It may not have been as long as you fear." I tried to smooth the way towards telling her.

"No." Jane was insistent. "You've all changed, everybody's clothing and hair, but most of all, you've changed."

"In what way?" I was genuinely curious about how Jane now saw me.

"You're tougher, stronger somehow. The old Maura wouldn't have taken charge like you did this morning," she cocked her head as if trying to think of the best way of phrasing something. "You really are a badass now aren't you?"

I smiled. Jane, even in her weakened state had noticed a lot, ever the Detective. "Yes, I've even been known to curse a few times, hence me not commenting on your language. A lot has changed. The last time I saw you in the apartment was a year and one week ago."

She took in a sharp breath, and I could see her struggling to maintain her composure.

"Hey, it's me. You don't have to hide how you're feeling."

Jane glanced up with watery eyes. "Could you sleep here tonight?"

I was surprised by the request. "Of course I will, you don't have to ask, the chairs comfortable enough," I shrugged. "And with everything that's been going on the last year, I've got used to sleeping in odd places. It's a bit like being back doing my medical training."

"No, that's not quite … "Jane stopped, uncertainty crossed her features. "Could you sleep up here, in the bed with me, it help kept the nightmares at bay this afternoon," a pause. "Please," she appealed.

"Hey, hey." I felt as though I couldn't get to her quick enough and I rushed to gather her up in a hug once more. "Of course, anytime you need it, just say."

I could feel her nod against my shoulder, so I moved around until we were both comfortably situated on the bed, glad they were slightly larger than most.

"Is this okay?" I asked.

Another nod.

"Alright then, you try and rest and I promise I'll only move if I have to go to the bathroom, I won't leave the suite."

Slowly and surely I could feel the tension seep away from Jane as slumber overtook her. I was much longer getting to sleep, the worry about what tomorrow would bring for Jane in the forefront of my mind. There were going to be tough times ahead, and I hoped we would weather the road together.

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Twice I soothed Jane back to sleep after a nightmare, I wasn't sure how aware of them she was, but both times I was woken by her whimpers. Apart from that we both seemed to sleep well, and we weren't woken again until the Doctor came in for the morning check-up.

I rubbed sleep from my eyes as Jane tensed when Graham approached her. He was very careful to make sure he was within easy sight of her at all times. It was a bit like watching a wild animal that felt trapped, and it broke my heart to see my friend so vulnerable.

"How are you feeling this morning?" Graham kept his posture and tone relaxed.

Jane hesitated before replying. "I feel good actually, quite a lot stronger than yesterday."

"Would you like Maura to do the basic exam, or are you happy with me doing it?"

"Er," I could tell the question had thrown Jane slightly, and she looked towards me with some confusion. "Is that allowed, I mean, can Maura practice medicine like that?"

"Oh yes, perfectly normal and all with procedure I assure you."

I nodded as well, to back up Graham's words.

This time there was no hesitation from Jane. "Maura."

"Alright, I'll be outside if you need me," and handing off Jane's chart Graham left the room.

Jane still looked apprehensive. "Are you sure about this Maur, it's not going against hospital policy or anything? I don't want you to get into trouble."

Ah, this could prove interesting, I wasn't sure Jane was up to hearing the whole story quite yet, and although I had changed a lot the past year, I still couldn't lie outright. Time for one my 'fudging of the truth' moments as Jane had nicknamed them a few years back.

"Well actually you're in a private facility that was paid for by the Isles foundation."

Jane's eyes grew wide at that. "What, you're kidding right? No, wait, you can't lie. Holy crap, why aren't I in an ordinary hospital?"

"This was the closest facility to where we found you." I really felt this wasn't the right time to continue this conversation so I looked beseechingly into Jane's eyes as I asked. "Look, you trust me right?"

"Absolutely, you know that."

I had to smile at the sincerity from Jane.

"I promise I'll tell you everything later on today if you think you're up to it, but if I think it's getting too much I'll stop, deal?"

"Deal."

"Okay, let's get down to business."

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About an hour later Jane was sitting up in the chair by the bed, having had her shower, and feeling stronger she'd refused the wheelchair back into the room. She was clearly still very tired, but she wanted to spend some time out of bed, so I had compromised, and had a reclining chair brought to her room. Now she was resting, her head back and eyes closed.

"Tell me something good that's happened this year."

I was taken aback slightly by the question. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I'd like to know that it hasn't all been bad, whatever it is that has happened."

"Erm," I struggled for a moment wondering what to say, and then it came to me. "Barry has met up with a lovely lady called Callie, they've been together for about nine months now."

"Oh wow, really." Jane's eyes opened, and she turned to look at me with a pleased smile. "Good for him. When do I get to meet her?"

"Oh, it'll be soon, don't worry about that."

Returning her head to its previous position, Jane gave a long sigh.

"Anything you want to talk about?" I asked, sensing that the time to tell Jane all that had happened was drawing nearer.

There was a pause. "You know what I'd like to do first, get back into bed, and then I'd like to try and tell you what I can remember of the last 12 months."

"That's fine," and I moved to help her get comfortably situated.

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	7. Chapter 7: Returning memories

**A/N: First of all, thank you for the reviews. As an interest was expressed regarding the year between Maura and co arriving at the bunker, and finding Jane, I thought I might try and write a companion piece. I'll see how it goes in the planning stage, and if I think it will work I'll post it at some point. Also, l must add since the last chapter's note: There is another coincidence to report. I am currently visiting family. Imagine my surprise, (as I was looking through local places to take my nephews,) to find out there is an old Government Nuclear Command Bunker nearby which is now open as a tourist exhibit. So of course I just HAD to visit. Look it up under Scotland's Secret Bunker: It's truly an amazing reminder of the cold war. All these years since the family moved here and I never knew! It even provided the photo to add as the cover photo for this story. The corridor I photographed is the one leading down into the bunker itself. Hope you like the update. **

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Chapter 7: Returning memories.

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"I sorta know you were the one who found me, I could detect something similar to a smell that was you. I guess that won't make sense until I start back at the beginning, in my apartment."

"Go on," I encouraged, moving closer so I could give Jane some tactile comfort if she needed it.

"I remember you leaving, you kissed my forehead." A small smile tugged on the edges of Jane's mouth.

"I thought you were asleep." One change from a year ago, then I would have been embarrassed to have been caught doing that. Now I would take every good thing and cherish it.

"Not quite," Jane opened her eyes to look at me with a wry smile. "And it was nice, thank you. Anyway, I managed to get some sleep but when I woke up I felt as if I was drunk, but I knew I wasn't. It was like that muddled disorientation you can get from drinking a bit too much. "

I nodded, having an idea of what she meant. I didn't often drink to excess, but I had reached my limits a couple of times in the past, that point of being merry without losing myself completely to the alcohol. Of course, alcohol was severely rationed these days.

"Then the anger started. And it just got worse and worse. It scared me because I've never felt anger like it. I can remember I started to throw things around my apartment, and I had no way of stopping." Jane paused.

Before the silence could get too disconcerting for her I said. "We found the place ransacked late that afternoon, by then the FBI had told us there was a virus and that the early stage symptoms were the same as a cold. I was worried that you had been infected, sadly I was right. "

"Wait, are you telling me the FBI knew about this before they arrived?" I had Jane's full attention by now.

"Yes, although there was no cure at the time, so all we could have done was help keep you in a safe place."

"You know, I should be furious with them, but right now I just want to move forward."

"Okay," I agreed, not wanting to get bogged down with my side of the tale unless I could fill in blanks that were helpful to Jane.

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Jane took a moment to gather her thoughts. "I don't remember leaving. I have no idea what time, or even what day it was, although now I know it was the same day because of what you've told me. All I could feel was the anger, the fury and the need to get somewhere, anyplace where I was not going to be noticed. I went down alleyways and through warehouses that I would have never gone in alone before, normally it was real risky in those parts of the city. But I felt invincible, unstoppable. Driven on by something I didn't understand. I began to stop thinking straight, and my mind became cloudy, unable to focus on simple tasks. Before I knew it, all that I could operate on were the basic senses. Touch, smell, feel, taste. Driven to survive by eating and drinking whatever I could find. If I came across another person we would fight to the death, but only as survival of the fittest. There were no emotions, no feelings of remorse attached to anything. Only the rage remained."

I don't think Jane realised that she was crying, or that I had moved to lie at her side so I could wipe those tears away for her. Jane was so wrapped up in reliving the pain nothing else within the room seemed to be registering with her.

"And then there was a change, I'm not sure what happened, but I began to recover some of my thought processes back. And I knew I had to find you, but all I could remember about you was your essence, like a smell, but there really aren't any words close enough to fully describe what it was like. To make this easier I'm going to call it a smell. It was that smell that somehow made me feel better."

The tears were in full flow now, momentarily cascading unchecked down Jane's face, while I dealt with my own tears, before wiping hers away once more.

"So I followed the smell, I could just pick it out on the breeze, I suppose like a sniffer dog would do. I have no idea where it led me, but I was vaguely aware we were leaving buildings behind. Several times I had to stop and fight my way past more like me. Once I only just managed to get away," at this point Jane grasped her side, the same place where she had shot herself. When Jane had arrived, we had noticed several new ragged scars along her torso, as well as additional scaring around the original bullet wound site. Now I had an idea what had caused it. So I soothingly asked. "Can you remember the fights in any detail?" Immediately Jane tensed up even more, nodded and stopped talking. Quickly I added. "Sounds like you don't want to talk about that yet don't worry. Carry on with what you can manage." Not wanted to push the issue, I continued to offer physical support until Jane was up to resuming her narrative. After about fifteen minutes of silence she started to talk again, only this time it was even quieter than before.

"I was feeling desperate because every delay meant that your smell was getting weaker. I felt sure I wasn't going to reach the end before I lost the smell altogether, then one day it was gone. As if you had vanished, before I detected it from a slightly different direction." Finally looking at me through her continued tears, I could see Jane was wondering if anything had happened which had caused the loss of my scent.

I gave Jane an encouraging smile, pleased she had managed to find us, but dismayed by the fact that we hadn't know she was so close. "We evacuated into an old airtight bunker, but then we fully opened up the auxiliary entrance the following day, shutting again at nightfall."

Jane nodded. "That would make sense because by the time I reached a place where I knew I was close I couldn't get to you because of the water. I couldn't remember anything about water as such, but I knew that particular liquid was dangerous to me. It turned into a daily anguish because every morning as the sun rose the scent would reappear, and then as the sun went down it was gone again. A few times I could tell it was on the move, but it went too fast for me to follow. Other times I was forced away because I had to defend myself against attack. Yet, I felt the need to return every time. Dawn and dusk were equally good and torturous."

Jane couldn't continue, so I held her closely as she started to shake from the trauma of telling me what had happened. Unbidden a poem came to mind and I softly quoted it to Jane.

"I'll Tell You How The Sun Rose, by Emily Dickinson

_I'll tell you how the sun rose,-_

_A ribbon at a time._

_The steeples swam in amethyst,_

_The news like squirrels ran._

_The hills untied their bonnets,_

_The bobolinks begun._

_Then I said softly to myself,_

_"That must have been the sun!"_

_But how he set, I know not._

_There seemed a purple stile_

_Which little yellow boys and girls_

_Were climbing all the while_

_Till when they reached the other side,_

_A dominie in gray_

_Put gently up the evening bars,_

_And led the flock away."_

"And led the flock away," Jane repeated gently after me. "I don't know if I qualify as a flock, but if you were the shepherd, you kept the wolves at bay."

"Do you want to talk anymore?"

Jane shook her head, now shivering uncontrollably from the stress of emotional shock setting in.

I tenderly stroked her hair. "Okay, try and rest, I've got you." I surreptitiously reached over and adjusted the IV which we had set up earlier to hold some sedative, in the hope that Jane could get some much needed rest. Eventually Jane's eyelids wavered shut while I continued to caress her hair and tell Jane I had her and I had no intention of letting her go.

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Jane had been asleep for 4 hours when Korsak made a surprise visit. He poked his head around the door and said quietly. "I really didn't want to disturb you but we've got a major problem."

"You've got to be kidding me." I hissed. "Dammit Korsak, take care of it!"

"I can't, it's a couple of transient groups. Seems there was an argument over who was going to come to us for a resupply first. A major fight broke out. Frost is outside helping set up a triage area. They could really do with your help Doc. It was a bit of a blood bath."

"Why were the groups arguing, they know we have a rota system?" I was getting less and less impressed with the interruption by the minute, and Jane was starting to stir. I wanted this conversation over with as quickly as possible.

Korsak shrugged. "Some idiot had a bright idea to take over their group and demand they be seen first. He's a right bully from the sounds of things. Frankly I don't understand why he was allowed to take over."

Glancing at Jane I knew my options were limited. Although there were good Doctors on staff, in this sort of situation I knew the faster triage was done the better. Slowly I extricated myself from Jane's embrace and tiptoed over to Vince's side. "He probably threatened people, thereby scaring them enough to give him the position. How long do you think Barry will need me for?"

"He thought a half hour at the most, Graham told him he only needs you to help with the major casualties," Vince frowned. "At least, that's what I think he meant. I had the message passed on third hand."

Frustrated I ran my hands through my hair. "Dammit, it's at times like this I wish I wasn't in charge of this place," Suddenly I had an idea and looked at Vince hopefully. "Could I do triage inside the infirmary?"

This was when Vince looked uncomfortable. "Ah, there's the problem, Barry had to set it up outside because some in two groups were still arguing and we didn't want it spilling over to inside the shelter. It would all run a lot smoother and quicker if you were there."

"Oh for…." I trailed off as I thought long and hard about what I could do. Glancing over to Jane I could see that she seemed fast asleep. "Stay here!" I ordered Vince, pointing at him for emphasis. "Don't you dare leave this room until I get back. If Jane wakes up you call me at the axillary entrance straight, and I do mean straight, away."

He crossed his chest with his one hand. "Cross my heart, promise."

Feeling uneasy I left the suite and made my way to the triage area on the beach. When I arrived Barry Frost was frantically muttering under his breath, directing Frankie and the other former members of BPD who made up the daily defence detail. Barry turned to greet me as soon as he heard I'd arrived. "Oh hey Doc, I'm really sorry about this, we'll be as quick as I can. I think we've got the security situation contained now, you should be able to work in peace"

True to his word, Frost kept things under control. And that meant Graham and I had the main triage sorted out within twenty minutes and Barry had just told me that I could get back to Jane when the phone inside the door rang. I paused as he answered. "Frost."

Seeing the way he reacted I tensed. He shot me a look. "You need to get back Doc, Jane's woken up and is a bit freaked because you weren't there."

I didn't need telling twice as I took off running as fast as I could towards the quarantine area.

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Out of breath when I arrived, not from the run, but from the fear that was constricting my chest, I flung open the door to the suite to find Jane huddled in a corner looking terrified with Angela and Vince trying to calm her down. "Out," I said anxiously, coming to a screeching halt.

They looked at me, and retreated without a word. I slowly made my way towards Jane. I noted that the IV had been pulled out of her arm, and that both the IV pole and chair by the bed were lying scattered on the floor. Keeping my voice low and calm I reached Jane's side. "Jane sweetie, it's me, it's Maura." There was only a whimper in response. Very carefully I knelt beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Jane I need you to look at me, can you do that?" Still no response, so I tried to move in order to pull the taller woman into a gentle hug. "I've got you Jane, it's only me, and you're safe." As I had feared, it looked as though Jane had retreated into herself from the emotional overload.

I heard a knock at the door. "Yes," I answered in as low as tone as I could manage. Vince poked his head through the door for the second time that day. "Thought you'd want to know she woke from a nightmare and panicked when she saw you weren't there."

"Thanks Vince, I'll take it from here, but can you stop people coming in? I'm not sure it would be a good idea if even Angela was around at the moment, but send her into the observation room please, at least then she can keep an eye on what's going on. Oh, and Vince." I grabbed his attention just as he was retreating. "Make sure Angela isn't alone would you."

"Sure thing Doc." He couldn't quite hide his concern as he closed the door behind him.

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Time seemed to stand still. I have no idea how long we were curled up in the corner of the room together. It was sometime because I could feel my arms and legs becoming numb from not being able to move. However, my focus was firmly on Jane, the tension was still there and I wasn't sure how I was going to get her to move back to the bed. Glancing up at the observation room I could see Angela's worried face, with Vince standing next to her. I nodded at Vince, and then gestured with my head towards the door. Immediately he got the hint and moved around so he was just inside the room. I made sure Jane was sheltered from view before I said. "Can you quietly move the bed over so it's right by us, then can you get some kind of screen to shield it from the rest of the room?"

Giving me a silent thumb's up Vince moved slowly and keeping the bed between us and him he did as I'd asked. Once he had the bed as close as he dared he went in search of a screen. Jane hadn't moved a muscle during the whole exchange, and as much as I hated blocking Angela's view, I couldn't see any other way around making Jane feel safe enough to get back into bed. Within a very short space of time Vince returned, having found one of the old concertina privacy screens that used to separate the infirmary beds in the 1950's.

Once Vince had got that situated and left the room I tried to get Jane to focus on me. "Jane, sweetie," I brushed her cheek lightly. "You don't have to say anything, but I need to get you back into bed. All I want you to do is let me guide you, you don't even have to acknowledge me, just focus solely on my movements, okay." I gave her a minute or two to digest my words before I started the manoeuvres I had planned. Lightly taking hold of her waist I started to rise, lifting her with me. To my relief Jane's body slowly unwound although she didn't stand fully straight, instead she seemed to curl herself around me as I moved. Gently I led her to the bed and managed to get her to sit on the side. The main problem was trying to get Jane to lie down as she was reluctant to let go of her hold on me. "Sweetie, you need to let me go a minute so I can get your legs up on the bed, I promise as soon as I can I'll join you." There was a lessening of Jane's grip, it was only a fraction, but it was enough for me to know my message had been understood. With a small sigh of relief I gently got Jane as comfortable as I could, before I hopped up to join her. As soon as I lay down beside my friend she curled up into my side and grabbing my shirt she held on tight.

Finally able to take a look at my watch I could see that two hours had passed since I'd got back from triage. I heard the door to the observation room click open, and Angela's soft voice carried in the quiet. "Shall I sort out some food later on, or do you need to be left alone for a while?"

"Ask again in about two hours please Angela." I really felt for Angela, this must have been heart wrenching for her.

There was a pause. "Okay, I'll put something easy aside in case you can get Jane to eat." I heard the door snick close. Now all I had to do was work out how I could get the IV back into place and Jane responding again.

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Relaxing my body as much as possible I wondered what I could say to Jane that might make a difference. Without realizing it my mind drifted to our past experiences, and unbeknown to me at the time, the key lay within those memories.

"Every time I think about the first time we met I find myself remembering how embarrassed I was to discover you were a Detective. No, that's not quite true. The worst part is remembering how OCD I was about the thought of touching you and putting on gloves before I tried to give you that money. At the time I thought I was being kind, but in fact it was such an insensitive thing to do. You changed that part of me so much Jane, you made me realize there was a life outside the morgue, and it included letting yourself get a little dirty once in a while. And then the way you found out who my biological Mother was. You didn't need to do that, especially after the way I'd treated you, but that is a measure of the person that you are. I never told you what I told your Mother at the hospital after you'd shot Paddy Doyle. I didn't love him, it's just that I never really saw how people ended up on my autopsy table, and it was all happening right in front of me and I couldn't stop it. I felt so helpless that day and I took it out on you. Yet despite that, our friendship prevailed, became stronger, I think in part because you also take from me, not just give which means we seem to balance each other. You turned to me when you were scared about Hoyt. Not to mention the way you rescued us from him in the prison hospital. I was so scared, but you fought so hard for both of us that day. I think it was then that I recognized how much I was truly in love with you… Oh…"

Trailing off I realized that I'd said the one thing I had always kept hidden so well from Jane. I knew I had to say something else. I couldn't leave things as they were, especially as that might make Jane's current state of mind worse. "Gosh, I think I need to explain. I love you as my best friend, and as the sibling I never had, but in those horrifying moments at the prison I also knew I was also in love with you. Not that you need to feel the same way, because the rest sustains me in a way I can't explain. You are such an important part of me and I pretty much emotionally shut down after you contracted the virus. Not knowing where you were was heart breaking. Before you came along, I had been used to dealing with my emotions on my own, and I had to do it again because it was the only way I could cope. So no, I won't apologise for saying it, I am in love with you Jane Rizzoli, and that will never change. The first time I told you I loved you was after the FBI had arrested Tommy, and I often wonder if you knew what I was secretly saying."

I suddenly realized Jane had moved slightly, her death grip on my shirt had lessened, and although her eyes were closed, there were a few tears tracking down her face. Silently I wiped them away, and kissed her on the forehead. I knew there was a way to go, but I hoped that Jane was mentally coming back to me. Settling back down, I continued my short trip down memory lane.

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"One of my favourite memories was you keeping Giovanni Gilberti at bay, both at the garage, and then at your high school reunion. At the time I didn't realise why it felt so right to be thought of as your girlfriend, obviously I do now, and I hope that doesn't make you uncomfortable. Other things I remember about you, well there was the last case we worked together before all this struck. You saved my leg, even my life. With everything that has happened since you wouldn't know this, but there is slight scarring on the inside of my leg because there was no chance to have a follow up procedure done. However, I wear that scar with pride. I'm proud of it because it reminds me that you did what needed to be done. It's also been a tangible reminder of you. When I insisted you do the fasciotomy on my leg I can't recall ever having seen you so flustered before, but I had faith in you Jane, just like I have faith in you now. We'll see this through together, like we've always done.

Feeling Jane shift against me I paused, and hesitantly I asked. "Jane, are you able to talk to me?" It was very brief, but there was the movement of no as she shook her head. "That's alright do you want me to stop talking about our past?" A very slight nod yes. "Do you feel up to eating anything?" Again it was no and I wondered what I might be able to get her to do next. "I really need to get your IV redone. Will you let me do that?"

There was a much longer pause before finally there was a slight nod. "Okay, I need to move out of the bed and let go of you to do this, are you sure?" The last thing I wanted was to scare Jane into a relapse. There was a much longer pause, before finally a very slight nod. Moving slowly I continued to talk to Jane, so she knew what I was doing and could hear where I was.

It didn't take me long to redo the IV, everything I needed was in the room, and as soon as I'd finished I retook my place by Jane's side. Immediately she turned her head so it was resting against my shoulder, and replaced her hands in gripping my shirt. Not once did she open her eyes and I didn't push the issue. I was hoping that I might be able to get Jane to eat something though, as that was important towards her recovery. Waiting a good ten minutes I decided to broach the subject again. "I'd like to ask Angela to bring you some soup, if she puts it in a mug would you drink it."

The hands tightened against my shirt, I really thought for a moment that I had pushed too hard when surprisingly Jane nodded her acquiescence as she whispered. "No talking."

Jane's statement was so sudden I nearly jumped in surprise. "If that's what you want, then that's what we'll do." Wondering if Jane would speak again, I was slightly disappointed when all she did was nod once more.

Silence fell over the room, and looking at the time I saw that Angela would be calling in again soon. Thinking it would be best if I warned Jane I said. "Your Mother will be popping her head in the door in about ten minutes, but she won't see you, because there's a screen in place. All she'll do is ask me about what we want to eat, alright?"

The smallest nod yet, Jane was obviously feeling really vulnerable, and I was racking my brains about what else I could do to make her feel safer. Almost immediately after I had that thought Jane spoke again. "Just stay."

Despite everything I had to give a wry grin. "How do you always seem to know what I'm thinking?"

"Went tense."

"Ah," I hesitated, but felt I needed to apologize for not being there earlier. "I know I broke my previous vow. I had to go before to help Frost, but I promise I'm not going anywhere else." Hearing me talk about my leaving Jane's hands tightened once more. I got the feeling that even if I'd tried to leave Jane would not have made it easy for me. My not being there when she'd woken had obviously scared her more than I'd first realized. Allowing my head to sink back onto the pillows I let the silence engulf us.

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My brain wouldn't switch off. I kept recalling what I knew of Jane's story so far, knowing from the additional scars she'd been through some terrible ordeals. I was brought out of my reminiscence when I heard the door click open. It was Angela asking about food, and so I made the request for some soup, which she told me would take about half an hour to sort out. Throughout our exchange Jane had remained quiet, and the continued grip on my shirt was the only sign that she was not asleep.

When the door opened again, I could hear Angela quietly placing things on the rolling tray that sat where the bed had originally been in the room. And when she spoke her voice made me jump slightly. "Janie, I'm going to roll this over, but I'm not going to stay, you just help Maura out." Without waiting for an answer the screen moved slightly as Angela appeared. Glancing at Jane I could see that she had opened her eyes and was cautiously tracking her Mother's movements. Smiling gently at her daughter the older Rizzoli efficiently placed the food where I could easily reach it. Unthinkingly Angela reached out and smoothed some hair out of Jane's face. Half expecting Jane to tense up I waited for what I thought would be an inevitable negative reaction but I was pleasantly surprised when all Jane did was close her eyes again. Nodding my own reassurance at Angela, I felt the other woman give my free hand a countering squeeze before she left.

Moving so I could grip the mug of soup, I spoke gently. "Here you go, do you want to drink this on your own?"

In reply a tentative hand reached out and took the mug from my grasp. Taking cautious sips Jane started to feed herself, and I felt a huge relief that she was at least reacting in a more positive manner. Reaching over to the tray once more, I took my own soup and joined Jane eating. Within fifteen minutes we had both finished and I'd resumed my position at Jane's side. Slowly the tension eased, and Jane slipped into a deep sleep. Although slumber evaded me for some considerable time, eventually I reached my own land of dreams.

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	8. Chapter 8: Innocence

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews, I hope this chapter answers some of the questions raised, as I was keen to show that extreme PTSD is something that can happen with prolonged exposure to trauma. **

**As my first story I'm humbled by the reviews I've received, especially as it is an AU fanfic which I know is not always as popular as cannon. **

**Animal Lover Wales: We went on the Tuesday, and yes, we noticed the cat flap in the bunker, and it looked well used!**

**Thank you to ssa-rtune for the beta-read of this chapter, although any mistakes that may have been missed are mine and only mine. Hope you enjoy.**

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Chapter 8: Innocence.

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Woken up by the distress beside me I eased Jane out of her obvious nightmare. Now she was properly awake I could feel Jane regain a tight hold of my shirt, almost as if the tangible contact was the one thing that proved to her that was I still at her side. Trying to smooth away the fear I saw etched on my friends face I rubbed slow circles along her back and shoulders. Peering over at the clock on the wall I could see that it was a little before seven in the morning, close to the time we would be waking up anyway. Slowly the stress I felt in Jane's muscles seemed to ease and I decided to tackle what I wanted to try and achieve with her that day. Keeping my voice low I said. "Let's get you in the shower, and we can decide what to do after that." Extracting myself from Jane's grip, I made sure to keep within her personal space as I manoeuvred her out of the bed, her compliance frighteningly easy. It didn't take long to get Jane washed, redressed and standing looking uncertainly at the chair by the bed. Now I was faced with the dilemma of what I dare try and get the tall woman to do next.

Startled out of my thoughts by a commotion outside the suite I could see Jane starting to withdraw so I was quick to go to her side. "It's alright; nobody can come in without my say so. Do you want me to take a look to see what's going on?" Jane launched herself onto the safety of the bed and nodded at me. Curling up into a ball she waited as I made my way over to the door. Moving the privacy screen as I went allowed Jane to keep an eye on what I was doing. I couldn't help but smile when I saw who had been creating the noise.

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"Cameron James, what _do_ you think you're doing?" My tone cut through the disturbance with ease. Graham turned in relief when he heard my voice. He was trying to contain a young child with dark, curly and unruly hair. Simultaneously the four year old child, to whom I had become attached after the loss of his family, jumped into my waiting arms. "Docs Maur, I was scared, you weren't in school today."

"I'm so sorry sweetie. I was busy looking after a very good friend of mine," inspiration struck and I asked. "Would you like to meet her?"

The overly enthusiastic nod that only a child can give answered me.

"Alright, she's very shy at the moment so you need to go gently with her, do you think you can manage that?"

He gave another nod, just as fervent as the previous one. "I promise," he answered solemnly. Dropping him gently to the floor I took his hand and led him back into the suite. I saw Jane looking edgy as the door opened, before looks of relief then confusion crossed her face as she spotted the young boy at my side. Smiling I moved so they could see each other better. "Jane, I'd like you to meet Cameron. Cameron this is my best friend Jane."

Cameron's eyes went wide at my statement. "Your bestest friend in the whole wide world?"

I laughed. "Yes, my bestest friend in the whole wide world."

"Wow!" Extricating himself from me he cautiously made his way to the bed. Reaching up he traced the outline of a scar on the hand nearest to him. "You must have an owie to be here, but don't worry, Docs Maur will make you all better. "

An eyebrow rose at Cameron's proclamation. "Docs Maur?" Jane looked slightly confused.

Pleased that bringing Cameron into the room had worked, I smiled upon hearing Jane's voice and moved so I was perched on the edge of the bed. Patting the space next to me Cameron took the hint and he scrambled up beside me, snuggled up between us and started to suck his thumb. "That's what this young chap calls me. We've become close this last year."

Cameron nodded his agreement. He removed his thumb long enough to state proudly. "Only friends get to call her Maur, and I'm her friend."

This garnered a genuine smile from Jane as she looked at the dark haired boy fondly. After a long period of time, Jane seemed to reach a decision and said to Cameron. "I get to call her Maur as well, maybe you and I could be friends?"

"I'd like that." Cameron mumbled around his thumb, and when I lifted an eyebrow at him in disapproval he looked abashed, removed the appendage and said. "Sorry, Docs Maur doesn't like it when I do that."

At Jane's questioning look I clarified. "Talking without removing his thumb, it causes him to mumble."

Gradually an "ah," of understanding escaped Jane's lips. I was gratified to see Jane slowly interacting with us both.

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Tilting his head Cameron addressed Jane directly. "Is it a big owie?"

Jane looked surprised at the young boy's openness, and after a moment's hesitation she replied. "It was a very big owie, but Docs Maur here is making it all better."

"Cool, can you come and see orsy with me?"

Jane looked puzzled, so I mouthed 'horse' at her, and she soon caught on. "I don't know, soon maybe? When Docs Maur says it's okay for me to leave here, what do you think?"

"I'd like that," and without further ado Cameron snuggled even closer to Jane and closed his eyes, slowly dozing off. Looking surprised at the straightforwardness with which Cameron had settled down, Jane nervously glanced my way, obviously still uneasy with the world around her. "Does his family know where he is?"

I took a deep breath. "Yes." Not a lie I told myself, as we'd become his family.

Noticing something in my countenance Jane appeared to thinking about saying more before her eyes darted off to the side, looking unhappy. She finally settled on. "He likes you."

I could feel my expression softening. "Yes, and I like him, he's kept his innocence, which has been a hard thing to do the last twelve months."

Just then Angela's face appeared in the doorway looking worried, and when she spotted Cameron asleep on the bed she sagged in relief. "Oh thank goodness, I was told he'd run from class." Suddenly Angela noticed her daughter was awake and seemed better-off than she had been the day before. Moving cautiously into the room the other woman made her way to the bed, silently asking with her eyes if it was alright to come closer. Although Jane was still skittish I could see she was not unduly worried by having Angela there, and I reached out my hand to take hold of the older Rizzoli's in support.

Deciding to keep the conversation safely focused on Cameron I said. "Yes, it seems our young adventurer here missed me at class."

Looking exasperated Angela shook her head. "If I didn't know better I'd say this little one was connected to my lot, he's certainly stubborn and headstrong enough to be related."

"Ma," the quiet entreaty sounded loud in the stillness of the room. Jane's face held a look of extreme apprehension.

"Yes sweetie," the reply was equally as soft.

"Sorry bout yesterday Ma." Now Jane couldn't look either of us in the eye.

"Oh honey, you've got nothing to apologise for," reaching over Angela gently caressed Jane's cheek until her daughter looked back at her. "I just want you to let Maura help you, and you're allowing her to do that. You'll be up and about in no time." Softening her face Angela continued. "Sure, it's been hard on us, but it's been harder for you. Just promise me one thing?"

"Sure Ma." The voice was almost childlike by now.

"Remember you're not alone and we'll help you when you need it."

"Thanks Ma." The reply was so soft I strained to hear what Jane had said.

Encouraged I pulled Angela into a light one armed hug and said. "If Jane's alright with him staying, I'll keep Cameron here for a while. He's not going to get in the way. I'll ring if I need you to come and get him." Jane nodded and glanced down at Cameron with a tender look in her eyes.

"Alright, I'll let the teachers know," Angela raised an eyebrow at Jane in query, and at the almost imperceptible nod in return she leant over and embraced her daughter. "Love you."

"Love you too Ma." Smiling at me Angela quietly left.

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Looking down at Cameron Jane's features relaxed even more, as if having the innocence of a child by her side reminded her that there were good things in life which gave a person hope. I could almost see the wonderful mind that was Detective Jane Rizzoli putting together pieces from clues left during various conversations and I wasn't disappointed. Soon I was asked. "Why did he say he missed you in class?"

"I help teach the children here." I decided to leave out the part about me teaching them fencing and archery.

A silence followed, but it wasn't strained. Jane was the first to speak. "Where exactly is here Maur? I get the feeling we're not in Boston anymore."

"We're certainly not in Kansas anymore." The attempt at humour sounded crass, even to my ears and I cringed as I quickly changed the subject. "Are you sure you're feeling up to it, you must still be feeling pretty fragile."

There was a long pause while Jane thought hard about what I'd said. Finally she replied. "I think I need to know, and I need to know from you. Then it doesn't seem quite so bad."

For once I was at a bit of a loss, not sure where to begin. Sensing my hesitation Jane said. "Why don't you start by telling me what the current situation is? At least then I can focus on the here and now."

"That should work." I nodded. "Well, as you know this infirmary was paid for by the Isles foundation. We're actually in an old official Nuclear Command Bunker which was sold off privately ten years ago. My Father bought the place, then refurbished and upgraded it all to use as offices. It was purchased on a whim really because he liked the idea of its uniqueness. Mother wasn't too impressed to start with, but she grew to like the oddness it represented. As you already know it has its own infirmary, but something you don't know is it that all came with associated laboratories. You may have guessed it has kitchens as well, which your Mother runs with a smooth efficiency. It also has bunk areas and offices. It's contained within two levels, the upper level housing the living areas while the lower levels were converted into hydroponics bays, animal shelters and storage areas. There are two entrances, one large entrance on the upper level that is large enough to allow vehicles to drive in, with a slightly smaller axillary door on the opposite side of the structure."

"And we're here because?" Jane let the question hang in the air.

"We're here because Boston became too unsafe, so we evacuated BPD and moved here with those of us who had immunity to the virus. There are a little over 3000 people now living in the bunker." I paused, wondering what else to say. "Because of the infirmary we have been working towards an antidote, which what brings us to you."

I could see pride on Jane's face and I wasn't sure what she was proud of until she spoke. "You helped save me." It was more of a statement than a question. "I bet you had a big hand in helping find a cure."

"It's not really a full cure Jane, more an antidote…" I trailed off when I realized I was about to fall back into old habits of over explaining things, amusement shone in Jane's eyes when she recognised what I had done. I smiled, abashed at being caught out. "Okay, it's a cure. At least it worked on you so we're hopeful."

"Take a guess Doc, will it work or not?"

Smiling at the teasing tone Jane had used I said. "Yes, if I were to guess, I would say it will work on most people." An easy silence descended, and we were both happy to just sit and watch Cameron sleep.

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A little while later Jane broke the tranquillity. "Could I have a look around later, but when it's quiet so there are less people about? I think I could manage that now I know what to expect outside the door."

"Sure, I can even ask Vince to let people know we'd like the corridors cleared. Is there anywhere in particular you'd like to visit?"

Smiling down at Cameron, she answered. "I think I have date with my young buddy and a horse."

I joined in with the smile. "He'll love that, and it's not too far to the stables, so we can walk some of the way, and keep the wheelchair in reserve for when you get tired."

Glancing over with thanks Jane said. "No wheelchair, that's something I could get used to hearing."

"You're not totally rid of it," I reminded her, as Jane did an eye roll. "But I promise you don't have to use it until you absolutely have to."

"Thank you."

Checking Cameron was still asleep I noticed that Jane had subconsciously started to draw her hand through his hair in a soothing manner. It was a sight that warmed me, and I wondered how Jane would feel about spending time with the young charge. I'd decided a long time ago that Jane would make a marvellous Mother, and seeing the tender nature with which she dealt with Cameron only reinforced my views on the matter. I sat back determined to enjoy the scene of two people very dear to me getting along.

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Around lunchtime Cameron had woken up, taking a while to wipe the sleep from his eyes he remembered where he was and smiled up at Jane. "I sleeped well."

"You slept well sweetie. It's not sleeped." Jane gently corrected him before I could get the chance.

"Docs Maur lets me know when I get it wrong. Does she tell you off as well?"

"Oh yes sweetie, she's always telling me when I've got words wrong, or if I use them in the wrong place."

"Docs Maur is good like that."

"And Docs Maur is standing right here," I reminded them with amusement. "And she's not sure she's happy that you're talking about her without including her in the conversation."

"Oo, I think we're being told off," the twinkle in Jane's eyes showed that she knew I was joking. "What do you say pal, think we should include Docs Maur there?"

Taking the appropriate amount of time to think about his response, Cameron squirmed onto Jane's lap and said. "I guess so."

"No need to sound so enthusiastic," I laughed as I moved to sit down alongside Jane, who shifted slightly to accommodate me on the bed.

Reaching over to ruffle Cameron's hair I said. "Jane asked you to show her the horses, would you like that?" Before he answered he started bouncing and I stopped him with a sharpish "Ah, no bouncing, you could hurt Jane's owie."

Eyes wide Cameron stopped. "Oh, sorry, forgot about that," and he looked apprehensively at Jane. "Is your owie okay?"

"It's fine," she answered. "But I'm still a bit sore, so no bouncing anytime soon please. Now, what do you say to showing me these horses once we've eaten lunch."

Cameron looked thrilled at the idea, so I moved off the bed, contacted Angela via the phone and asked that lunch be brought to us and requested a message be passed onto Vince. Once the meal had been delivered Angela joined us to eat, and we managed to keep the conversation light and focused away from what had happened to Jane the day before, I wanted Jane to be the one to raise the issue. Clearing away the detritus left from our meal didn't take too long, and Angela left assuring me that she had passed on my message to Vince about keeping the corridors clear.

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I could see the increased stress that was starting to weigh Jane down, so I leant down to whisper in Cameron's ear. "Do me a favour and keep hold of Jane's hand, she's still feeling a bit unwell, and that will help her owie."

He looked at me with curious eyes, and I raised my eyebrows and nodded in encouragement as he took a step towards the tall woman who had just got herself out of bed and changed ready for our excursion. Taking her hand he asked. "Is this alright, not hurting your owie?"

Surprised by the contact Jane glanced at their joined hands for a long moment. "This is fine, thank you."

Gently Cameron started to tug Jane towards the door, and hesitantly she started to follow him. I took up the rear with the wheelchair in tow. The observation suite was close to the end of the corridor, and so was also close to the large industrial sized internal elevator which was normally only used by those unable to manage the stairs, or for moving livestock and heavy objects. Leading the way over, I hit the call button, and almost immediately the doors opened granting us entrance. Cameron took up position by the doors so Jane was greeted by the sight of the lower corridor stretching out in front of us once we reached the lower level. "Wow," she breathed out slowly, stepping out without guidance from her young helper. Rows of stables and hydroponic bays spread out before us, for as far as the eye could see. "This is amazing. I wasn't expecting anything quite so large or professional."

Moving to stand by her side I said. "You have my Father to thank for this, he sent in a load of extra supplies when he realized what was going on. We even have a limited supply of coffee growing here." I saw Jane's eyes light up at the mention of coffee. "Sorry Jane, Doctors orders mean there is no coffee for you quite yet. Your system isn't ready for the caffeine." And it wouldn't be good for your anxiety I mentally added to myself as Jane gave an adorable pout at my words. I smiled as I added. "I promise you can have some soon."

"Why do I get the feeling your idea of soon and my idea of soon are going to be two different things," she grumbled good naturedly.

"Come on," smiling at her words I grabbed her free hand. "Let's show you the stables," looking down at Cameron I could see he was desperate to show Jane his favourite part of the shelter.

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Stepping back once we reached the horses that were stabled for the day I let Cameron take the lead, and he enthusiastically introduced Jane to all the horses. He knew each by name, and when he had time even helped with their upkeep. Once we reached the end stable Jane stopped and reached out the stroke the nose of the occupant with a contemplative look on her face. It was the little palomino mare that I'd used that fateful day.

"I remember her you know."

Knowing Jane was referring to the little mare I let her carry on talking at her own pace.

She carried on a bit more uncertainly. "When you reached me I had a moment of clarity, or at least I remembered more of your essence, the smells, textures, feelings, even some of the physical contact. The kiss you placed on my forehead." She kept her back turned towards me, concentrating on the image that must have been playing out in her mind. "I'd been forced back from the water by some fighting, and then when I realized that your smell was coming closer I was getting fairly frantic. I'd never been that close and when the smell burst into the clearing I had a startling moment of clarity, but it was soon squashed by the pain in my shoulder which made me fight back. Despite wanting to fight, I remember looking down onto your face as my memory returned and for that split second I knew exactly who you were, who I was and what my life had been. Then it went black, that's the last thing I remember until I woke up here."

Jane stopped and I sensed she had told me all she could manage for now. I reached over and gave the mare a quick pat. "She's a nice little mare, and I hope that's part of what you remember."

"It is." Jane still hadn't faced me, and I could see the tense posture in her shoulder muscles. "Maur, what happened to Tommy, to Jo and Bass? What about your parents? And …" Then there was a pause before she rushed out with. "Why I am finding this worse to deal with than before, I mean, I coped with Hoyt, with the shooting. Why is this so hard?"

Kneeling down I whispered to Cameron that I needed to get Jane back to bed, and made him promise he'd go and find Angela. Once Jane and I were alone I tapped the back of the wheelchair. "Come on, sit down, I think you need to be in a more relaxed place before I fully answer all those questions. But just so you know, Tommy was fine last week. Jo and Bass were rescued with some other pets." Seeing Jane hesitate, I gently took her by the arm and guided her into the chair. "When you're back in bed, I promise."

I only got a half nod from Jane who kept her eyes cast to the floor as I returned us to the isolation suite. Luckily the corridors were still deserted and it didn't take long to reach our destination.

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Once we'd re-entered Jane's room I'd quietly moved the taller woman into the bed, and fluffed up the pillows to make her as comfortable as possible. Then I took up residence in the chair and gently holding one of Jane's hands' within my own I began to give her some of the answers she was seeking.

"I'll start with the easier answer first. Tommy decided not to stay at the shelter and set up a group that helps find survivors. Initially he was looking for you, but after a while they came across more and more people seeking shelter. As we can provide accommodation for up to 5000 people he would bring them here. Once they agreed to the rules we'd set in place they would be welcomed. Some found they preferred living in the outside world. We are now in touch with 53 transient groups. Communication was set up via staging posts and we've sent word to Tommy about finding you. His last message arrived 7 days ago and indicated he was about ten days away, so he should be here soon. Every day we have at least one group pop in to the bunker and we provide them with hot water, showers, food if we have spare and medical attention. That leads me onto Jo and Bass. Tommy and Sean Cavanaugh arrived a day after us, they had volunteered to search Boston for family members of BPD. When they arrived they'd brought with them several pets, they hadn't the heart to leave them behind. And it turned out to be a good move as the animals have provided the survivors with welcomed a piece of normality. They are living up in the sleeping quarters, Jo and Bass share my room."

I paused, knowing that I had to try and explain why Jane was finding this so hard, but I had to explain without getting bogged down in technicalities.

"And as for why this is so hard for you. From what we know we were expecting those affected by the virus to be suffering from extreme PTSD. I know you've dealt with PTSD in the past, after Hoyt and the hostage situation at headquarters. And the coping strategies you had in place then will help you now, but you need to understand this was prolonged exposure to trauma. It's likely that you will have periods when you will experience a relapse, even though you've coped in the past. Relapses will seem pretty bad, but so long as you keep asking for help you'll build on the defences you already had in place and you'll be fine."

"So it's the extended exposure to the trauma that's making this worse?"

Gratified that Jane was able to pick out the most salient point I gently rubbed the back of her hand with one of my thumbs. "Exactly, extreme PTSD was first noticed in war veterans who'd been exposed to long periods of combat. Child abuse survivors also exhibited similar reactions, as they were often in prolonged situations of abuse."

"So I could be in for a bit of a roller-coaster ride?"

I nodded. "I would expect that yes, you'll have moments where it seems alright because the defences you've already got will work, but then something will pop up and make it much harder for you. But I promise I'll be here every step of the way. We have some computers here, would you like me to get a laptop with some information on extreme PTSD for you to read?"

Jane nodded, but I was surprised when she asked her next question. It threw me because a part of my being had hoped not to revisit that dreaded memory. I might have known not providing the answer to a question wouldn't get past Jane. Talk about exhibiting signs of classic denial. Jane was the one who had been through a worse hell than all of us, yet it was me that was doing the denial.

"Why haven't you mentioned your Father, or Constance?"

I took a deep steading breath.

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	9. Chapter 9: Understanding

**A/N: Gosh, thank you all again for the reviews, follows, favourite alerts and even a PM. Humbling that I received so many when such a good story as the Calamity Jane sequel was posted within hours of my last update. Luckily my muse is in full flow, and I'm enjoying the writing, so I'm not looking to end the story quite yet.**

**It's been a quicker turnaround with this chapter, and I hope it lives up to expectations. I also hope that I've managed to balance the emotional aspect of what has happened to Jane and Maura, but still include some infill stories and information about what has been happening to other people throughout the year. **

**Thanks again to ssa-rtune for a couple of small, but very good suggestions during the beta read, but again any and all mistakes are mine and only mine.**

**In this chapter Cameron is mentioned in a cameo role and Tommy also makes an appearance. Please enjoy. **

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Chapter 9: Understanding.

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'You can do this.' Mentally I chided myself. Closing my eyes and taking another steading breath, I opened them to find Jane gazing at me curiously, and her face was already showing a certain amount of compassion, as if she had already guessed what had happened to my parents. I started with the hardest part first. "My Father didn't survive the virus, he died in my arms when the initial wave hit. Constance was infected but they have been no sightings of her for the past three months. Tommy's group do regular patrols in the Boston area checking for survivors and the known whereabouts of family and friends who were transformed by the virus. Because Tommy's group go into dangerous areas, we provided them with horses to use so they have fast access to a getaway if they need one. Despite not having had any recent contact with Constance I'm hopefully she's still alive and will be found, and that she's not been too badly hurt for the antidote to be viable. Paddy Doyle, Hope, my Father, they all died within the first week."

"Maura, how badly hurt are some people? And I'm not talking about what the emotional impact will be, physically I mean." I could see the concern in Jane's eyes. She was beginning to understand the huge task that we would face when deciding upon whom to use the antidote.

"It's bad. A lot of people would not survive the physical wounds they sustained after contracting the virus. We're going to have to apply the triage principle in selecting those we try and help." I shook my head. "There are going to be very few true survivors from this. Certainly there are enough of us to ensure the human race can survive, but it will take a long time before there can be any communities set up as we knew them before."

"Oh God, I was incredibly lucky wasn't I?"

Unable to do anything other than be honest I nodded. "Yes, you were, we had lost you, seemingly forever. To find you like this has seemed nothing less than a miracle, and you know I don't hold much store for things not based in fact. One of the aspects that was most worrying regarding the contagion was the increased resistance people had to injury. Injuries that would have maimed or killed people before the virus became survivable. I suspect your police training subconsciously kicked in when you needed to defend yourself. That would have given you an edge when it came down to survival. Very much like Darwin's principle of the survival of the fittest." I knew that sounded fairly cold and clinical, but I couldn't think of any other way of describing my theories on Jane's relatively unscathed body.

Throughout this last year we had seen people afflicted with some horrendous wounds, and while Jane obviously had received some pretty bad injuries resulting in new scarring, compared to what might have happened to her she'd escaped comparatively lightly. I could see Jane looking at the scars she could see, and for the ones she couldn't see, she lightly traced her clothes with her hands, long elegant fingers ghosting over the fabric.

Looking up to capture my gaze with her own dark brown orbs Jane said. "I never really thought much about Darwin, especially growing up within a Catholic background. But now I really have to wonder if that guy didn't have it right!"

I tried to lighten the mood somewhat. "Jane Rizzoli acknowledging that science might be right. I'll mark the day on the calendar."

My levity worked as Jane smiled at me. "Don't tell anybody, I still need them to believe in that infamous Rizzoli gut feeling. I need to hear something else for a moment. Would you tell me what you know about Darwin?"

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Grateful for the reprieve I recited the knowledge I knew. "Charles Robert Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England on 12 February 1809. Not really related but an interesting fact is that Shropshire is the largest inland English shire, and the south of the county had a long history of lead mining. The first know large exploitation of lead was by the Romans in the early years of the Roman occupation. A pig, which is a bar or ingot of Roman lead, was found in 1796 at a place called Snailbeach bearing the stamp of Emperor Hadrian. The second era of major mining began in the mid 18th century in the Grit area and ran until the Snailbeach mine closed to lead mining in 1913, although barytes was produced at Snailbeach until 1955."

I stopped and gave Jane a wry grin. "Sorry, I got side-tracked, back to Darwin. From September 1818 Darwin went Shrewsbury School, indeed the school operated right up until the contagion arrived in the UK. Darwin then spent the summer of 1825 as an apprentice doctor, helping his father treat the poor of Shropshire, before going to the University of Edinburgh Medical School in October 1825. However, he found lectures dull and surgery distressing."

"Maybe he was like you and didn't like working with live patients?" Jane offered.

"Whatever the reason I always felt a kinship with him."

"Because of the science?"

"Yes," it was nice having Jane back, she always had such an understanding about what I found fascinating. "Anyway once this happened Darwin started to neglect his studies and the neglect of medicine annoyed his father, who sent him to Christ's College, Cambridge. It was there that Darwin started to look more closely at natural history. He joined the ship HMS Beagle which departed England on 27 December 1831, and the voyage lasted almost five years. It was his observations over that time which led to the writing of his most famous book 'The Origin of Species.' Upon publication the book proved unexpectedly popular, with the entire printed run of 1,250 copies oversubscribed when it went on sale on the 22 November 1859. Darwin died on 19 April 1882 and after some public and parliamentary petitioning he was granted a state funeral and was buried in Westminster Abbey."

Glancing at Jane I could see she had relaxed a bit as she gave me a small smile. "Thanks, I was ready for the distraction. I'm curious though, I can understand you knowing about Darwin. What with the medical and science connection. But how come you know so much about a place in England that I've never even heard of?"

"Ah, I can understand your confusion. It's simple really. One of the girls at my school came from the area, and her Mother was a teacher so of course I lapped up the knowledge with glee. Another interesting fact is that a place called Ditherington Flax Mill in Shrewsbury was referred to as the grandfather of the skyscraper, because it was considered the first building to use internal ironwork as a structure upon which to add stories safely to a construction."

Jane pointed at me. "Now you see, that there, _that's _the stuff I like to know."

"Because your Grandfather was an ironworker and helped build Boston. It's that technique that he would have based his work upon"

"Wow, the Fairfield case. You remember me telling you that?"

"Of course," I tilted my head slightly as I considered Jane's surprise at my bringing up that memory. "I remember everything about you."

"Oh, wow, okay." Jane fidgeted and I got the impression she was not sure what to say next, so I said. "You know it's been a long time since I recited particulars to somebody, there hasn't been much need for it. It felt nice to think about something other than the running of the bunker for a change."

"I bet," and Jane smiled. "You were always at your best when sprouting facts at me."

There was another pause and I could see Jane was setting up to ask me something serious so I braced myself, and I was glad I was semi prepared. "How did all of this affect you Maura? I can't believe you weren't hurt by those losses?"

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Looking away, not really focusing on anything, I tried to explain. "I reverted to type. I shut my emotions down, and regressed to the person I was before we became friends. Not letting anybody near. The only times I felt anything close to emotion was when I was dealing with your family or Vince and Barry but only in private. A bit later on Cameron came into my life and I was able to let him in too. However, in public I refused to acknowledge those feelings and fixated on helping to run the bunker as efficiently as possible. Your poor Mother was desperately worried and whilst I could respond to her with a minimum amount of emotion I was always guarded, never really letting anybody in. It was the only way I could deal with the trauma of losing so much. Like many people here I ended up suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder."

"Like the type of PTSD I had to deal with after Hoyt and the shooting?" Jane tenderly asked me. That tenderness was nearly my undoing and I took a moment to gather myself so I didn't break down and cry.

Eventually I felt together enough to carry on and I nodded. "Yes, as most people know PTSD can be an effect of psychological trauma. Like many who had watched loved ones die to the virus I re-experiencing the original ordeal through flashbacks or nightmares. I would avoid stimuli, commonly called triggers, which I associated with the period, and I had increased difficulty with falling or staying asleep, anger, and hypervigilance. It lasted two months and caused significant impairment in important areas of my functioning life. Because my social performance was poor anyway, that part was the hardest for me, I couldn't deal with being in a room with more than five other people present for several weeks. Luckily, Elizabeth Marsden, one of the survivors, is a psychiatrist and trained trauma therapist and she helped me through the worst." I gave Jane a sombre smile. "Of course you know what I'm talking about, there's no need for me to explain further."

The taller woman gave me an equally grim frown in return. "True, after Hoyt for me the hardest part was difficultly in falling asleep and the nightmares. What helped me through the worst moments was whenever you stayed, or when you invited me to sleep over. You made me feel safe."

Nodding at Jane's assessment I said. "I'm glad. According to Elizabeth part of the procedure for me dealing with the PTSD was having a feeling of safety. My mind couldn't really process what was happening unless I was in a safe place. She gave me a few tips on dealing with the anxiety, but my trouble was finding somebody I trusted enough to feel safe with. Not that I wanted to burden them, but it was about having somebody around me that would allow me to relax and get some sleep."

"Did you find anybody in the end? Ma?" Jane enquired.

I barked out a laugh. "No, and it wasn't from her lack of trying either, as you can imagine she was pretty persistent." While I was speaking Jane nodded at my assessment of her Mother's tenacity. "No, it came from the most unexpected place."

I could see Jane working it out. Those eyes were still so easy for me to read. She gave me a soft smile. "Cameron?"

Smiling back I said. "Yes. That little boy arrived at the bunker with Tommy, and somehow wormed his way through those defenses. Not as completely as you had managed, but enough for me to begin the healing I needed to function on a more normal level. Cameron lost his entire family. Luckily he didn't witness their demise. Even with his intervention into my life I very rarely gave a meaningful smile to anyone. Certainly I was extremely civil and when required I would respectfully smile at people, but it was never any more than that, a product of my upbringing, polite to a fault."

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The discussion left us both emotionally drained and the conversation came to a natural conclusion. So we'd decided to rest for a while. Jane moved over to allow me room to join her on the bed. Once I was there we ended up wrapped up in each other's arms, silently taking the unconditional support we offered the other. Angela had brought in our meals, then joined us to eat, and had skilfully steered the conversations away from Jane. Cameron had come to have a bedtime story read to him before he left with Angela for the night. It hadn't taken long before the day's activities caught up with us and we fell asleep, content that we were together once more.

Woken by a loud bang outside the room I felt Jane tense under me. "It's alright," I soothed. "I'll go and take a look." A quick peek at the clock showed it was a little after one in the morning. Opening the door I was surprised to see Tommy Rizzoli desperately trying to force his way past Frankie and Barry. I hadn't been expecting him for at least another day He must have ridden hard to get here so soon. Frankie looked as though he had received a blow to one eye and I inwardly cringed knowing that would leave quite a bruise. Luckily Barry was better placed and had a firm hold on Tommy.

"Doc," Tommy yelled when he saw me. "Is it true? Is Jane safe?" I could see the desperation in his eyes and I rapidly went to place a reassuring hand on his struggling arm.

"It's true, but Tommy I need you to settle down, Jane's been though a lot and she needs peace and quiet right now."

"I've got to see her Maura. I've got to see her with my own eyes." I don't think I'd ever heard such a pleading tone from Tommy before. He was still struggling against the restraint provided by the other two men. It was a measure about how anxious Tommy was because for the first time since we had arrived at the bunker he had referred to me by my Christian name. For the past year he had only ever called me Doctor Isles, or Doc.

"Tommy please." Hating the thought of denying him access to his sister I hoped he would listen to me. "You need to calm down." I punctuated every word with a look that brooked no argument.

"Tommy she's right." Frankie quickly joined in. "I've only seen Jane briefly, she needs time to recover.

"Dammit Frankie let me go!" Tommy fought even harder against his captors. I was just about to call for reinforcements when Korsak came barrelling down the corridor with Angela in tow.

"Tommy enough." Vince bellowed as he reached the scene.

At the same time Angela said. "Tommy please, for once listen to what you're being told."

"I need to see her." Tommy roared, and just as I when I thought he was about to break free I heard Jane's voice behind me.

"Tommy I'm alright." As one we turned to see Jane propping herself up against the doorjamb, an anguished look on her face. "Please don't cause any trouble."

Immediately I rushed to be by Jane's side as Tommy stopped his struggle.

"Jane?" I could see the disbelief on his face. "It's true, you're safe."

She only nodded, and taking the opportunity afforded by the sudden quiet Angela shot a concerned look Jane's way before taking hold of Tommy's arm. "Come with me sweetie, Janie needs her sleep."

"But."

"No Tommy," Angela's voice hardened slightly. "You can come back when you've calmed down."

Mouthing 'thanks' to Angela I watched as she led her now unresisting youngest child away, and once the other three had made sure I didn't need them, they left as well. I turned my attention to Jane. "Come on, you need to get back into bed." It was then that I noticed the tears glistening in Jane's eyes. "Oh sweetheart," tenderly I reached up to caress a cheek. "Let's get you settled."

Jane nodded and gladly accepted my help in getting her back into the room, and to the bed. Once she lay down the tears started up again. "I haven't seen Tommy that angry since he was arrested by the FBI over those bank robberies," the words were stuttered out between the tears. "And it was because of me."

"Oh no, no, no." I turned so I could embrace Jane fully. "He was angry at the situation, not from anything you've done."

"Are you sure, he seems so hurt?"

"I'm sure," I began to rock the other woman in the hope that it would sooth her. Gradually I could feel Jane slipping into a more relaxed state and her breathing evened out, indicating she had fallen back to sleep. I heaved a sigh of relief and allowed myself to relax and join her in resting.

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Understandably after the interruption during the night we were late waking the following morning. The first thing I became aware of was Angela arriving with a late breakfast for us both. Jane remained asleep as Angela set up, so we kept our voices low so as not to disturb her much needed slumber.

"How's Tommy?" I asked as I sipped some of the fresh orange juice. Like the coffee, there was enough produced from the citrus trees we had found growing nearby to have a weekly ration, and I always savoured mine.

Angela paused for a moment. "Not as bad as I thought he would be." She then continued with what she was doing. "He's with Frankie at the moment, and I said I'd ask you about him getting to visit Jane."

Knowing it would help Tommy if he got to visit his sister I had an idea. A slow smile crept across my face. "I think I know just the thing. Yesterday I phoned Frost about a laptop being delivered for Jane to use. Get Tommy to bring it, that way he's got a valid reason to be here, but it also gives them both an easy out if it all gets a bit strained."

Angela's smile matched my own. "You can be downright sneaky sometimes. It's perfect. I'll get Barry to set it up for this afternoon, give you girls a few hours alone."

"Thanks Angela," I returned the osculation she gave my cheek, and watched as the older Rizzoli kissed her daughters forehead before she left the room. Taking a moment to watch Jane sleep I finally leant over and gently shook her awake. It was endearing to watch as she slowly reacted to the world around her, and, rubbing sleep from her eyes she yawned and asked. "Is that pancakes and bacon I smell?"

Softly laughing at her endearing pose I replied. "Yes, your Mother's just been." I reached to help Jane sit up so she could begin eating. "Let's get this before it gets cold."

I passed her the second glass of orange juice, which she took before asking. "Where do you get the juice from?"

"A local farmer must have been experimenting with growing citrus crops under cover to allow for the colder winter weather. We found a few of the growing tunnels intact recently, and there is enough for a weekly glass for everybody."

"But I've been getting a glass a day?"

"Uh huh, we wanted you to increase your vitamin levels as naturally as possible, there is always a certain amount set aside for people that might need a bit extra."

"No spare coffee then?"

"Nice try, but no, still no coffee for you."

It was gratifying to see Jane's appetite returning and she managed to eat twice as much as she had the day before. Finally she was full and ready to take her shower and get changed. Wanting to see how much she could do on her own I left Jane to it, and only offered assistance when asked. Her appetite wasn't the only thing that was much improved, and Jane got through the morning routine without any assistance, although it did leave her tired by the end. Opting to use the chair rather than go back to bed, Jane sat with her head back and eyes closed, taking a minute to recover.

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After a long rest the first question Jane asked was. "Can we get to see Cameron again today?"

I couldn't help but beam with pleasure at the thought of Cameron and Jane spending a bit of time together. "Of course, I'll ring Angela and ask her to bring him down so he can spend his lunch hour with us."

A slight frown appeared and Jane tilted her head my way while opening her eyes. "That's a thought, what day is it?"

"Friday, we keep the calendar as it was before."

"Huh, okay," there was a slight pause. "And does the bunker have a name?"

"New Boston."

Jane snorted and said satirically. "Well _that's_ original, who came up with that?"

I chuckled at the amusement shown by Jane. "It was a public vote. There were three contenders, 'New Boston', 'New Hope' and rather bizarrely the name 'Resurrection' made the final three. New Boston won by 95%."

That was greeted by a raised eyebrow. "That was a pretty clear winner, but is it healthy to have the name so closely associated with what people left behind?"

Shrugging I answered. "It seems to work. With most of the original survivors being from Boston it gives people a link to their past, but looks towards the future as well. And the people that arrived this last year from other places have also approved of the name, so it stuck. I think my Father would have approved of the name."

"Yes, I also think he would have been very proud of what you've done here."

Solemnly I said. "I hope so."

Picking up on my tone Jane said quite sharply. "No, I know so, you've achieved so much. He would have been delighted with New Boston. And hopefully one day Constance will be here to tell you the same thing."

Shaking my head I had to ask. "Who is meant to be healing whom here?"

That garnered a laugh out of Jane. "I think we're doing what we've always done, we help each other."

"I think you may very well be right, so, in order to help you today. Is there anything you can think of that you'd like to do?"

"Can we get outside? I want to feel the fresh air, the sun on my face." I could hear the wistful longing in Janes' voice. "Although I was out there the past year I couldn't appreciate those sorts of pleasures."

"Yes, I believe that would also aid your healing, because it'll help you recover some of your Vitamin D levels. The benefits gained are for the same reason as drinking daily fruit juice, especially as you are no longer reliant on the IV. Vitamin D plays an essential role in maintaining good health. It has several important functions, including helping to regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body. These substances are needed to keep bones and teeth healthy. Lack of the vitamin can also cause rickets in children. However, for you the risk as an adult would be a softening of the bones called osteomalacia, which may cause pain and muscle weakness."

I watched as Jane gave her patented smirk, suddenly very aware I was again sprouting facts and figures. I mentally changed gear again. Thinking about the best way to get outside that would avoid too many people, I came up with an idea that I thought would work. "If we go down to the lower level there is a small emergency exit we could use, it means you walking up some stairs, but if you're alright with using the wheelchair until then you should be able to make your way outside with a little effort. We'll exit onto the beach, and there are some rocks just by the door that you can sit on once we're outside."

"That sounds perfect, when can we go?"

"How about now, we can be back in time for lunch."

Looking exceptionally pleased Jane agreed.

"Let me phone about Cameron joining us, and then we can go."

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Ten minutes later we were at the internal emergency exit doorway, and Jane was looking a bit apprehensive. At first it looked as though we were standing in front of a plain wall, but if you moved the fire hose reel on the wall a certain way the door was revealed to you. Knowing the route off by heart, having counted the steps as I'd used the exit over the last year, I knew there were fifty steps between us and the outside world. Gently I guided Jane to the first riser. She looked at me and said. "I never thought I'd see the day when stairs seemed so daunting."

"Take your time, and we'll have a nice place to rest once we get there."

Slowly we began our ascent, and I aided Jane by holding onto her arm and providing some stability for her as she became fatigued. The process didn't take as long as I'd first feared and we were soon at the outer gateway. Leaving Jane leaning against the wall I unlocked and levered open the heavy protective access door and went to check the outside was safe and clear of people. Going back I led Jane through the exit and got her settled leaning against some sun warmed rocks which provided natural seating, and as I positioned myself next to her Jane asked. "You seem to know your way around this section, do you come here often?"

"This place is my guilty little secret, you may have spotted the internal door is very well camouflaged. For safety reasons I haven't let many people know of its existence, it would be a weak point in our defences if somebody wanted to smuggle somebody or something harmful inside the bunker. Sadly some transient groups would love nothing more than to take over the resources we have available here for their own selfish use. Unlike them we've vowed to keep helping as many people as we can, but we have to take precautions." Seeing Jane's fear I added. "Don't worry, your Mother, Sean, Vince and Barry also know about it in case we needed to order an emergency evacuation. I couldn't let people suffer simply because we couldn't get out any other way. Barry is working on upping the electronic security warning system. If he's successful then we can limit this exit to authorised personnel only, making the whole place more secure. Last month he didn't think it would be long before the upgrade was finished." Seeing her worries were assuaged I joined Jane in turning my face towards the sun, basking in its warming rays.

After a few moments of silent contemplation Jane briefly turned my way before resuming her previous position. "Thank you for sharing your secret with me."

"Anything for you."

The peace settled between us and we let ourselves enjoy the moment.

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All too soon it was time to make our way back inside. After a long moment I reached out and helped Jane to her feet.

"Already," she moaned. "I wanna stay."

"Ah, ah. Anyway," I jokingly said to Jane as we brushed ourselves off. "You've got a date with a handsome young man."

Jane brightened. "I have, haven't I, and we wouldn't want to keep him waiting."

"We? Are you sure I won't get in the way?" Chuckling I continued to gently tease Jane as we headed back down the stairs, thankfully our progression was much faster than it had been on the upward climb.

"Oo, do I sense a hint of jealously there Doctor Isles?"

"I'm never jealous of the people I love," it was so nice to slip back into the easy banter I'd always shared with Jane.

Jane paused and I realized what I'd implied. "Maura…"

I cut Jane off, knowing she had noticed more the last few days than she had let on. "Not now, can we talk about this later, once we're alone?"

"Okay, I think we do need to talk though."

"Yes, I agree." I felt a heavy weight press down on me, knowing that I would have to be totally honest about my feelings towards the taller woman.

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Cameron provided us with some wonderful distractions over lunch, and the slightly strained feeling that had appeared between Jane and myself soon dissipated. Although Jane was pretty tired by the time we'd finished eating. After saying our goodbyes she made her way back into bed. "I'm pretty wiped."

"That's not surprising." I said rather unnecessarily as I went to perch alongside Jane. "You've succeeded in doing almost triple of what you could manage before."

At lunch we'd discussed the idea of Tommy visiting and Jane had indicated she would prefer to see him sooner rather than later. Angela beamed at the knowledge that all her children were safe and secure within the bunker, and was going to let him know he could visit. Although seeing how tired the taller woman was, I was hoping that Jane would still be awake when Tommy arrived. So I was pleased when he knocked for entrance after only twenty minutes. Sheepishly he made his way into the room, holding the promised laptop from Barry in his hands.

I moved to relieve him of his load and he went to Jane's side and awkwardly reached for a hand which she allowed him to take.

"God Jane I'm so sorry."

"If that's for last night, apology accepted, but you need to say sorry to Frankie and Ma as well. Not to mention Korsak and Frost"

"Yeah, I figured, I've already apologised to them. Poor Frankie's got quite the shiner, I'm not proud that I hit him." He hesitated. "But I'm also sorry about not getting you out of there last year."

"Don't you start, you couldn't have done anything." She gestured to the leather clothes that Tommy was sporting. "That's a look at suits you, and from what I've heard you've helped plenty of people."

"Not before I lost it and made a complete and utter idiot of myself," he mumbled. "If it hadn't been for Vince and Sean kicking me up the ass when I slunk back here after the first month, I dread to think where I'd be right now."

Both of Jane's eyebrows shot up when she heard that. "Korsak and Cavanagh, really? I mean, really? When did you three get so friendly?"

"Yeah, really, they've both been real good to me, helped me figure out that I could still help those people out there. It gave me a focus and I hope that it's made them proud of me."

I could see Jane was surprised by the maturity that Tommy was showing, and indeed, after that first month when he had stormed out of the bunker enveloped with anger, we had lost hope of ever seeing him again. It wasn't until he returned, contrite but still determined to stay with the transient group, that Vince and Sean had been able to sit him down and talk about how he could make a difference. It was a role that had suited him, and he had done an admirable job in finding survivors and keeping tabs on those loved ones affected by the virus.

Despite acknowledging what he had achieved Tommy's head dropped in shame. "But I did what promised I'd never do again Jane. I hurt Ma by leaving the way I did."

"Tommy listen to me, I bet Ma doesn't hold that against you, it was hard for everybody. The important thing is you came back, and you did good."

The younger Rizzoli visibly brightened. "You think I did good?"

"Yeah Tommy I do."

"Thanks sis," he glanced my way. "Look, you're tired. I'll let you get some rest." Reaching to hug his sister he said. "Love you."

"Love you too little bro."

Once he'd hugged me goodbye Tommy left us alone.

Reading my silent cue as I joined her on the bed once more, Jane snuggled down and fell into a healing sleep. Every time she rested her progress improved beyond measure.

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Jane slept well for three hours and when she woke up wanted to spend some more time at the lower level. After checking to see that we would have some time alone we proceeded down to the elevator. Heading straight for the stables Jane took some time getting to know the horses we had inside that day. I explained the rota system we employed to let the animals out in the corrals during the day as external space was limited. Stopping at the door where the palomino was stabled, she reached out and took her time with the young mare. Eventually fatigue took its toll and we made our way back up to the isolation suite.

Angela was already there with our dinner, but unlike previous nights she declined our invitation to eat with us. It appeared she had already made plans to join Tommy and Frankie, pleased to have the opportunity to spend time with both her boys. And as usual the food was delicious. Angela and her catering volunteers certainly performed amazing things with such limited resources. I wasn't the only one to enjoy what we had been given, and we soon cleared our plates.

We settled back into the routine of sharing the bed, although I could feel that slight tension sneaking back into the room and I knew it was time to talk to Jane about how I felt. I couldn't recall ever having felt so nervous before.

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	10. Chapter 10: Loved Ones

**A/N: Again, thank you for all the reviews, follows and alerts for the story. **

**Thank you to ssa-rtune for the beta read and a couple of nice little suggestions. However, as before all and any mistakes are mine and only mine.**

**In case you were wondering, there _might_ be a bit more action to the story sometime in the next three or four chapters, just to keep to characters within the realm of what we know from the show, as well as with what I'm trying to achieve with the story. Yep, I'm shamelessly dangling a carrot here.**

**In this chapter: Jane finds out a bit more from Maura, and we learn some history about Cameron. Jane starts to get to grips with the emotional fallout. I hope you enjoy. **

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Chapter 10: Loved ones.

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Before I could start explaining how I felt Jane pre-empted me, her eyes set and fixed as she thought over the knowledge she'd gleaned from me the last few days. "So what's the rest of the bunker like, I know you've given me a general description, but where do you normally sleep?"

Having been prepared to lead the conversation I was slightly taken aback by the enquiry and I wondered where Jane was going with her question. Although if I knew Jane, she had a good reason to start like this so I had no qualms about doing a mental turnaround and answering. "Single people mostly share dormitories. A few of us were voted by the members of the community into having our own rooms. Any couple's we try to give privacy, the same for those with children."

"Did you get a room to yourself?"

"Yes, to start with it was because I had Jo and Bass with me."

There was still very little information I could read from Jane's facial expression. And as much as I could still read her, it was obvious that she could shut her facial emotions off much better now than she had been able to do in the past. I idly wondered if it was a side effect from either the virus or the antidote.

I had been thinking this as there was a slight pause while Jane considered what she wanted to say next. I was brought out of my reverie when Jane asked. "Where does Cameron live within the complex if he is an orphan?"

"He bunks we me, initially he was going to be placed with the woman next door, but he fell in love with Jo and Bass, and they seem to love him. Cameron ended up spending more time with me than with the woman assigned to his care, so after a couple of months it appeared to be the right compromise for all concerned. If for any reason I am unable to be there for him, he is cared for by your Mother or Frankie. They both love him dearly."

For the first time I recognised the emotion as it played across Jane's face, it was surprise, but there was something else there, something that I couldn't quite pinpoint. I was reminded of the time I had told Jane, 'you are deceptively complex. I do not understand you.' It made me realize that over the years I had grown to understand Jane's intricate personality more and more. Yet in some regards I felt as though I was back at square one, because so much had changed, for both of us.

Those beautiful angular features schooled themselves into an expressionless mask once more and Jane said. "That's quite a depth of connection between you and Cameron. I'm guessing deeper than even I first realized."

I wasn't sure if that statement warranted an answer or not, and I was just deciding I needed to reply when Jane carried on talking.

"I don't remember much, however I do recall you telling me you loved me after I freaked out when you weren't there the other day. Did you mean what you said?" Still no meaningful expressions that I could read, not even a glance my way. It was starting to make me feel very nervous. Something I had not felt in Jane's presence since the early days of knowing her.

"Yes." I was barely able to force the word out such were my nerves.

Jane nodded. "Before we talk more, I also need to know, have you adopted Cameron?"

"Yes."

"So it's a package deal?"

My heart thudded against my chest from the anxiety caused by worrying that not only would Jane not want to be with me as a significant other. But that she would also not want the responsibility of helping me raise the boy whom I'd come to love. "Yes," I replied solemnly.

"Hmm." That was followed by a silence that seemed to stretch on forever.

My anxiety only increased and so I employed the technique given to me by Elizabeth Marsden for refocusing my attention. I picked the observation window and silently counted to seven when I looked at each corner. On my third pass of the corners Jane spoke. "Does Ma know how you feel about me?"

"Yes."

"Did you tell her?"

"No."

"Yeah, knowing Ma she guessed. She can be pretty astute when she wants to be. And she obviously doesn't mind or she wouldn't be so happy around you, even allowing for my return."

"No, she doesn't mind." I seemed reduced to monosyllabic answers, 'not bad for a genius' I sarcastically thought to myself, 'especially as the word monosyllable has five syllables.'

Jane finally seemed to realize how tense I was and instantly changed her countenance. "Oh God Maur, I'm so sorry, I was so wrapping up in thinking about what you had confirmed for me I never even thought about how hard this must be for you." She reached out and wrapped me up in a hug and I allowed my cheek to fall and rest against the top of her shoulder. Easing into the embrace I revelled in the warmth of my friend.

Finally I felt relaxed enough to ask. "You're not mad or disgusted by me?"

"What? God Maur no!" Jane quietly moved so she could look directly into my eyes, the integrity that was Jane Rizzoli shining from her own eyes as her hands resting lightly on my shoulders. I never felt more protected than at that moment, safely cocooned within our shared space. "Maura, if you'd told me this a year ago I would have run for the hills, terrified by my own upbringing and my family's reaction." She shook her head sadly. "But now, now we have this plague which has brought so much destruction. How can I not be as open and honest as you've been with me? I love you too, and if I'm honest I've loved you for a very long time."

Sensing the tears of relief that had started spilling down my face, Jane moved so she could tenderly brush them away with the edges of her hands.

"Oh don't cry sweetie, please don't cry," Jane begged as the tears gathered apace and poured even harder down my cheeks.

"I'm sorry," I choked out between the sobs. Yet, no matter what I tried I couldn't find a way of getting the words out of my mouth, the tears were all encompassing. What I wanted to say flowed through my brain but I had no way of informing Jane of my innermost thoughts.

Once again this amazing woman, who was holding me in her arms, managed to understand what I was trying to tell her. "I bet this is the first time you've really cried over all you've witnessed this last year. Forever having to stay strong and not give into the emotions, that's gotta take its toll." I could only nod, still unable to articulate my feelings out loud. Jane pulled me into a tighter embrace. "It's okay," she whispered into my ear. "It's okay."

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Eventually the tears dried up and I could focus on Jane once more. Pulling back slightly I wiped down my face and dryly chuckled. "Goodness, I've not been much use to you so far this evening."

Jane softly joined in with my laughter. "Yeah, I think we covered that already, we help each other."

Looking shyly at Jane I said. "You meant it, you love me too?"

She beamed a smile back at me. "Abso-frigging-lutely."

Despite being more relaxed about language these days I couldn't help but say. "Jane…"

However before I could finish my sentence the other woman said. "Language I know. So a minute part," she made a small gap between her one thumb and forefinger to illustrate her point. "Of the Doctor Isles I knew before does still lurk under that newly toughened exterior."

"Maybe," I happily conceded.

Jane opened her arms back up and I gladly moved so we were lying against the pillows, in a comforting embrace. "So, tell me about Cameron. I want to know everything there is to know, if we're doing this together I want to be there for the little guy. How was the adoption agreed for a start?"

"Obviously the same rules and laws don't always govern us here, but we still maintain a system whereby anyone wishing to adopt or foster long term is considered by those we believe best qualified to make such a decision. I was granted adoption rights by that committee a while ago, and by default I was able to choose guardians for him in case anything happened to me. Because they are my family now I chose your Mother and Frankie."

"And how did he end up here?"

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Cameron, his story was like so many others, and yet for some reason he had tugged at my heart strings upon his arrival to the shelter.

"It began with Tommy storming out to find you in Boston," Jane and I were perfectly comfortable lying there in each other's arms, my cheek once more resting on Jane's solid shoulder. "About ten miles outside of the city he came across a group that had survived the first wave of the contagion. Cameron was in that group, being looked after by a couple of nuns who had escaped unscathed. He had been asleep when the virus struck his home, and his Mother, Father and older brother all disappeared during the night. When he realized he was alone he did the sensible thing and made his way down the street to the convent. He knew he would be safe there. Cameron's Mother was a diabetic, and she had always told him that if there was an emergency and if he needed help then to go straight there and ask for their assistance. It seems they didn't have a house phone that could be used to dial 911, but she knew the sisters would get help."

"Wow, smart kid."

I nodded at Jane's assessment. "Oh yes, very smart, he only turned four a month afterwards, just as he'd arrived here. His group were the first lot Tommy found. Finding them outside Boston like that was the catalyst for Tommy's return, and the nuns, Sarah and Kathleen, are now a part of his reconnaissance group."

Jane blew out a deep sigh. "Jeez. What an age to lose your family, and just before your birthday as well. Although, I have to say, the idea of Tommy and nuns working together seems pretty mind blowing!"

"I think it surprised everybody, but it has proven to be a perfect balance of empathy and brawn. They're all great friends now. And while I think about it, we're planning a beach BBQ for Camerons' birthday this year, we asked what he wanted to do and that's what he requested. There will be Cameron and a couple of his friends, plus Angela, Frankie, and probably Tommy now he's here. It's only a couple of weeks away now.

"I suppose it is," said Jane thoughtfully. "I'd like to be a part of that."

"Cameron would be delighted." I smiled, thinking that it was the sort of outing that would do Jane a lot of good.

"Are there many children here?" Jane asked.

I thought about the numbers for a moment. "There are 54 babies under eighteen months old. Plus one hundred and sixty nine children around Cameron's age, and finally, there are two hundred and three in their teenage years. Sadly Cameron's not the only orphan we've given sanctuary, luckily there are an abundance of good people here willing to take them under their wing and we provide them with as much stability as we can manage. It's hard sometimes," I acknowledged. "But worth it when their faces light up with more and more smiles as the days pass."

"I've just realized you secretly love it," Jane proclaimed, moving slightly enabling me to see the amusement on her face.

Genuinely puzzled I asked. "Love what?"

"Being a Mom."

"I…," I paused, thinking about what Jane had said, and suddenly it occurred to me that she was right. "Yes, I suppose I do, I hadn't really thought about it before now, but I really do love Cameron as if he were my own child."

Jane bent slightly and ghosted her lips against mine. I'm not even sure Jane was aware of what she was doing, because it transpired so naturally. Pulling back to her previous position she said. "Any child would be proud to call you Mom. In fact I think that should be our mission for Cameron, getting him used to thinking of you as his Mom instead of Doc Maurs."

"I'm not sure I'd be totally comfortable with that Jane."

"Why on earth not?" She asked, genuinely puzzled.

"He still has a memory of his family. I wouldn't want to confuse him, and then we need to consider how he sees you. You'll be yet another Mother for him to think about."

"That may be a fair point, but Maura, if anybody understands the concept of adoption it's you."

I realized Jane was right, but I would still need to think long and hard about how I should approach the subject with the young boy. He had been through enough traumas without the added confusion of getting to grips with two new Moms' in his life.

Before I could continue a huge yawn escaped from Jane. Looking at the time I realized the evening had flown by and it was now past ten at night.

"My, look at the time," I patted the bed. "We need to sleep. The conversation will still be there in the morning."

Jane's answer was yet another yawn and she smiled apologetically at me. "I guess you're right." Using her long arms to her advantage she lent over and keyed the switch that controlled the lights. In the darkened room I heard Jane whisper. "Goodnight my love." I found myself grinning like a fool at the endearment, and I returned the words with equally gentleness.

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Our sleep remained undisturbed until the very early hours, when Jane had another nightmare. Luckily I was able to get her back to sleep after only half an hour, but I vowed she would spend a bit of time learning about what psychological effects she might expect to come across as a result of the virus.

It was a cranky Jane that woke at seven that morning. She mumbled something about hating the goddamn frigging nightmares before stomping off to the bathroom refusing my offers of help. Taking the time to tidy the room, I phoned Angela and asked if she would mind spending breakfast with the boys. When she enquired why, I explained that it was time to start actively attacking the issues that were plaguing her daughter. Understanding what I needed she promised to bring our breakfast straightaway, and leave word with Vince that we weren't too be disturbed.

It took about twenty minutes for breakfast to arrive and be dished out. Angela was just about to leave when Jane reappeared, and with a scowl the younger Rizzoli muttered a barely civil. "Morning Ma."

"Morning Janie."

"Don't call me Janie! God, how many times do I have to tell you?" She threw her hands up in exasperation.

Looking at me for guidance I was pleased to see Angela had remembered that Jane was likely to have a few mood swings for the foreseeable future. I gave her a reassuring smile as she answered her daughter. "Sorry, I tend to forget. I'm eating with the boys this morning, so I'll see you two later."

"What? So we're not good enough now?" Jane snapped, and I could see she immediately regretted her words.

She moved to apologise but Angela cut her off. "It's alright Jane. We all knew you'd have days that were harder than others. I just didn't want to feel like I was hovering."

"Yeah, helicopter Mom." Jane automatically responded, finally the hint of a smile tugging at her lips.

I was genuinely baffled by the quotation. "I'm sorry, I don't get the reference."

"A Mother that hovers," explained Angela. "It's what my kids called me when they were younger and I wanted to know where they were going."

"Constantly interfering more like," retorted Jane, and if I looked carefully I could see the hint of Jane's smile was still showing.

"I was only looking out for your interests." Angela defended with good humor.

Sitting down by the small table Jane reached for her drink. "All seems kinda silly now." She said morosely, the brief respite from her previous mood evaporating.

Angela smiled, and decided to leave well alone. "I'll see you girls later. Love you."

"Thanks Angela," I said while Jane did little more than grunt a reply. Sitting by the taller woman I let her dictate any conversation while we ate. There was twenty minutes of silence, and I could almost feel the strain radiating off Jane. With as little fuss as possible, so as not to add to Jane's discomfort, I cleared away the dishes, and placed them on a tray outside the door. Moving to set up the laptop, I quietly went to move Jane from where she was still sitting.

"Come on," I encouraged. "It's time for you to read a bit about how you'll likely to react."

"It's happening now isn't it?"

"The more you understand the easier it will be," I reassured her as she sat down on the bed, and nervously tapped the top of the computer which was sitting on the rolling table.

"Tell me what you know first," I could see the pleading look in Jane's eyes. "I don't think I can face seeing it black and white without having your input on what it is I'm reading."

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"I think the first thing I need to explain is that the medical data we have stored on the computers here is what we had saved after the virus hit. You know we have electrical power, well, that's provided by wave turbines, although some wind turbines and solar panels were also added when my Father bought the place. He made sure the bunker wasn't reliant on one supply. If the main turbines fail, the rest produces enough power for all essential operations. With regards to the computers my Father had already got an internal network and server set up. When he had the extra supplies delivered he somehow managed to get a whole host of data downloaded into the system. This included medical and Government databases, a lot of Google information. Various other information sites, and computer upgrades that wouldn't have been made public for at least a year. I honestly have no idea about how he managed to get so much achieved with so little time."

"Let alone the legality of getting the Government to release their databases." Jane pointed out.

"I think they must have realized the situation was spiralling out of control." I conceded. "I can't see why else they would have allowed such sensitive information to be released to a member of the public, even though my Father held some influence within certain political circles. Or at the very least his money did."

Feeling like we were getting side-tracked slightly I brought the conversation back to the reading Jane was going to do. "Extreme Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was reclassified as Complex PTSD after about a year, although personally I still favor the original classification. It was first seen in patients who had been exposed to repeated traumas in which there was actual or perceived inability for the victim to escape. Very much in line to what you were exposed too this last year." I could see Jane retreating further into herself as I explained what she needed to know.

Taking a minute to let Jane absorb the information, I carried on after I'd taken hold of her hand. "PTSD descriptions fail to capture some of the core characteristics of C-PTSD. These elements include captivity, psychological fragmentation, the loss of a sense of safety, trust, and self-worth, as well as the tendency to be re-victimized, and, most importantly, the loss of a coherent sense of self. It is this loss of a coherent sense of self, and the ensuing symptom profile, that most pointedly differentiates C-PTSD from PTSD."

"That was the worst part for me, knowing somehow I wasn't the person I should have been."

"Yes, that loss of your own sense of self must have been horrendous, and that is why we were expecting you to react with C-PTSD. Other patients of C-PTSD had also been exposed to long term violence, war veterans and gang members most notably."

I paused, because for me the next lot of information was going to be the hardest to impart, and I suspected it would be equally hard for Jane to hear. "We…" I stopped and decided I didn't want it to sound as though a committee had come to these conclusions. I kept my gaze fixed on the back of Jane's hand, not want to have her feel as though I was scrutinizing her every reaction.

Jane needed the personal touch. I was her friend, but I was also a Doctor and had been in the forefront of working out what psychological effects survivors might face. "No,_ I_ expect you to suffer from some of the following side effects. Alterations in affect regulation, including persistent dysphoria, which basically means you could experience intense feelings of depression, discontent and indifference to the world around you. There might be thoughts of chronic suicidal preoccupation and or self-injury. Although given your history with coping with trauma before, I don't think that is likely. More probable for you is explosive or extremely inhibited anger and you might alternate between the two. Again, given your history I don't expect the following, but you need to be aware that you could experience compulsive or extremely inhibited sexuality, as with the anger, that might alternate."

I stopped to gauge how Jane was reacting, so far her face was impassive, and I ploughed on, wanting to get this over with. "There might be alterations in consciousness, including amnesia or hypermnesia for traumatic events. There might also be fleeting dissociative episodes and depersonalization to do with your experiences. Almost certainly the most common symptom you'll be dealing with will be reliving your experiences, either in the form of intrusive post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms or in the form of ruminative preoccupation. Other alterations may occur in self-perception, including a sense of helplessness or shame, guilt, and self-blame. I expect you might have a sense of defilement or stigma associated to what happened. Almost without question there will be feelings of complete difference from others which might include feelings of specialness, of being utterly alone, belief no other person can understand, or nonhuman identity."

"Jesus Christ, can you just stop for a moment," Jane croaked out. I glanced up and could see the strain now showing on her face. "How much more crap am I likely to have to go through?"

"There are a few more things I need to explain to you, but you've heard over half the list. Do you want to stop for a moment?"

Gritting her teeth Jane shook her head. "No, let's get this over with."

"Okay, well, next on the list would normally apply to the perception of a perpetrator, including preoccupation with a relationship, or revenge with a perpetrator. However, that is the one list of symptoms we are not sure about as there was no one perpetrator as such. So we are unsure about how you might react. It could be you will see the Government or the FBI as the guilty party in all this. For that reason I've only given you the most common symptom, in the hope that it won't affect you in this way. If required we can come back to that, and we'll deal with it on a need to basis.

Jane nodded her understanding, although her jaw was still clenched tight. Taking a moment to let out a cleansing breath I concluded the catalogue of symptoms. "There will almost certainly be alterations in relations with others, including isolation and withdrawal, disruption in intimate relationships, persistent distrust and feelings of repeated failures of self-protection. Finally you might suffer from a loss of sustaining faith and have a sense of hopelessness and despair."

"Not too much worry about then!" Jane finally said in a tight voice.

"Jane, you have to remember that you've been through trauma before, a lot of what you learned then will help you now."

She rumbled out a laugh, no humor on her face whatsoever. "Oh yeah, good old Hoyt and his gang. Not to mention that scumbag Bobby Marino and his friendly cohorts."

Picking up on her stress I said. "I think you need to take a break before you read up on this."

Jane glanced at the laptop which was a mere half foot away from where we were sitting. "Yeah, I think you could be right."

I pulled her to her feet. "Come on, let's go and visit the stables for ten minutes, then you can attack the laptop."

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As promised I kept Jane away for ten minutes, then made sure she sat and read through the pages of information I brought up on the dreaded laptop. While she was doing that I took the chance to phone Korsak and catch up on news regarding bunker operations. There wasn't too much to report. Aside from the skirmish between the two transient groups all sections of the bunker had been operating at optimum efficiency. Vince also mentioned that Barry Frost was nearly ready to implement the security upgrades, the estimate was twelve to fourteen days but they'd need my security codes in order to proceed on the final input of instructions. That left me with a bit of a dilemma because to do that I would need to return to the main section of the bunker. However, I wasn't sure how ready Jane would be about me leaving for a while. Or, if she decided to join me, I hoped she was up to leaving the quieter areas we were currently in and able to face the crowds. Reminding myself there were twelve days of so before that needed dealing with, I placed the questions it raised to the back on my mind, to be dealt with nearer the time.

Other than that, the council had approved my continuing absence, and were working on getting the antidote made up so we could attempt to help twenty people at a time. Knowing that they wanted me to lead the first group, we were trying to find a balance between monitoring Jane for possible side effects, and wanting to get the help for those affected underway. The original medical assessment from six months ago had allowed for two month's observation of whomever we used the initial antidote on. Now that person was Jane I was especially keen we didn't jump the gun and leave people in a worse off state. Thinking of Jane I glanced over to see how she was doing.

Much to my surprise Jane wasn't looking as strained as she had earlier. I suspected that was because reading the information, rather than having me dictate it to her, was less personal and so easier to digest. Plus I had to remember that we were dealing with the one and only Jane Rizzoli. Here was a person whose tenacity and inner strength I had yet to witness being beaten. Emotionally she truly was the strongest person I knew. It would be that, as much as the aid from us, which would see her through this, of that I had no doubt.

Waiting until Jane sat back, I approached when she appeared to have finished. Sitting by her side I attentively studied her face for a moment to see if I could glean what she would want to talk about. It was pretty emotionless so I went with the obvious. "I know you're not okay in the rational sense. But are you alright?"

A slow nod was the only response before Jane said slowly. "I think it's going to take a while to sink in, but it does feel better now I have an idea of what to expect. As well as having you here to help me. Without that I'm not sure how strong I could be."

"There is no doubt that having people who care about you by your side always helps in these sorts of situations, although this is something that has never been documented before."

"Did that mean you had to take a guess?" I could see Jane brightening slightly at the thought of my discomfort whenever I was pushed to guess about something.

"More of an educated hypothesis," I countered.

"You so guessed, come on, admit it!"

I smiled. "Alright, there might have been a small amount of guesswork involved. Not the first time I've done that if you recall."

"Ah yes, the insulin pump being swapped over on the Katie Gaynor-Randle outside Merch. Not to mention my personal favorite, the 'it's national guessing day' on the Rachel Lawson case. And if I recall then you also mentioned something about the fact that you hadn't broken out in hives from the guessing."

I smiled at the memory. "Did Frankie ever tell you what happened between us later on that day in the morgue?"

Jane looked intrigued. "No, I can't say that he did."

"He was trying to make me guess about cause of death with the floater, and before I knew it I was telling him that, 'for all I know Wile E. Coyote dropped an anvil on his head.'"

"Oh God, you didn't," Jane was finally starting to relax a bit as she asked. "What happened next?"

"He tried to say that it was a gut feeling when I interrupted him and said, 'but this is a scientific process, do you understand officer? You do not guess, leap to conclusions, speculate, theorize, wonder or tell me about your gut. I am clear?' I don't think I had seen poor Frankie so browbeaten. I'm sure I scared him somewhat."

"Poor guy, I would have loved to have seen his face."

"It was pretty special." I agreed.

"I think I need to see a bit more of him. Tommy too."

"Are you sure?" I was pleased that Jane was trying to make an effort to move forward.

"Yeah, I mean only having you here, and seeing Ma on an infrequent basis is great and all, but if I'm going to beat this thing I need to start getting out from this protected bubble. And I reckon the best place to start is with Frankie and Tommy. Maybe even Korsak and Frost if that goes okay."

"I think that's a very good idea, any thoughts on when you'd like to start?"

Jane considered it for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, I'm thinking dinner. She wrapped her arms around my waist. "But first I just want to spend some time cuddling up to you."

I relaxed further into Jane's side. "We'll tell your Mother at lunchtime."

"Uh huh," was the only reply I got as Jane finally fully relaxed, and took a deep breath against my neck.

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Rather unexpectedly we'd both dozed off and were woken by Angela appearing with our lunches. Cameron was with her.

"I thought it'd do you good to see him." Angela offered by way of explanation.

"Yeah, thanks Ma, and..."

"Don't you dare say you're sorry, nothing to be sorry for," Angela quickly cut Jane off. "Now get settled and say hello to Cameron. I swear I brought you up with better manners than this."

"Hey buddy," Jane said as she half smirked at her Mother and half yawned. "How was school today?"

"It's Saturday, there's no school silly." Cameron gave Jane a look of exaggerated patience as if she were the child not him.

"Oh that's right," Jane theatrically clicked her fingers. "So what did you get up to instead?"

"Barry showed me how to use a bow and arrow, but he's not as good as Docs Maurs." Cameron had once again made his way over to Jane and was busy getting himself comfortable in her lap.

I saw the genuine astonishment in Jane's face as both her eyebrows rose. "You were holding out on me Doc?"

I could feel the heat rising in my face as I blushed. "Not on purpose. The only time it could have been introduced into the conversation wasn't the right time for you to hear about it."

"When did it come up in conversation?" I could see Jane trying to work out the context.

"When I told you I tutored at the school, I left out the part that it was archery and fencing which I taught."

"Phew," Jane whistled. "That's pretty heady stuff Maura."

"Maybe," I gave a half shrug. "It's more of a necessity now though."

"Well, I can see how bows and arrows plus swords would be easier to produce than guns and explosives, but why do I get the feeling there is more to it than that."

"Because there is," placing a plate on the tray in front of Jane Angela shooed Cameron off her lap and placed his tray where he could easily reach it. "But I'm not going to have you talking like this at a family meal, so you can save the questions for later."

"Talking like what Ma?"

I got the impression this was a long standing tease within the Rizzoli family.

"You know very well what, all that icky stuff," she gestured to the plates. "Now eat, I didn't slave over a hot stove for it to go cold."

"Er Ma, its salad." Jane pointed out with some amusement.

"Then I didn't slave over a cold fridge for it to get warm. Eat!"

Chuckling lightly Jane picked up her fork and began to eat as ordered.

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Once again Cameron was a joy to be around, and he definitely helped Jane clear away the final vestiges of the lower mood which had plagued her that morning, even though a bit of strain remained around her eyes. Wanting Jane to get some exercise we decided to go and visit the outside section we'd visited before, there was about half a mile of safe coastline than we could walk along. Although Jane was surprised to see both Cameron and myself go to a cupboard outside the observation suite, then remove swords from it and strap them to our belts.

At her questioning look I explained. "Swords have proved very effective against those affected by the virus. Although I've yet to see evidence of anybody else using that stretch of beach I don't want to take chances."

She nodded at my explanation as we carried on walking towards the elevator. "That's fair enough, it just seems strange that you're the one defending me, normally it's the other way around. I feel a bit naked without a gun at my side." She touched the area where she would normally carry her police issue firearm. "I must admit I'm intrigued by the fact that the sword Cameron is using is a perfect size for him."

"We have some amazing metalworkers on site. They have managed a lot from so little. The story of the entire shelter really. Everybody puts in an astounding amount of effort," by this time we'd reached the outer door and I opened it allowing Jane and Cameron through.

Jane looked back at the open doorway. "How can you secure it from the outside?"

I motioned to the rock face closest to the door. "A hidden electronic keypad, courtesy of my Father's security upgrades. Before that there was only a key which could be used from the outside." I pushed a section of rock to reveal a pulsing green touchpad. It only took ten seconds to punch in the code and the door closed seamlessly behind us, becoming perfectly camouflaged against the natural surroundings.

"Now that's cool," looking impressed Jane inspected the area. "Of course you didn't need to shut the door last time we were out here." She turned her attention back to the beach. "Those white caps are amazing. I feel like walking along the edge of the surf barefoot. Is anybody going to join me?"

With joy on our faces Cameron and I turned to each other and hastily removed our footwear. Jane had already removed hers and was heading for the tideline.

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Frolicking in the sea with Jane and Cameron proved to be a lovely experience. Both my companions were carefree and laughing. Most gratifying for me was seeing Jane's face finally free of all the stresses and strains of the past few days. Because it was the first real exercise Jane had taken since she began her convalescence we didn't go far and took frequent breaks. Eventually weariness caught up with the tall woman and we made our way back inside. Although our spirits were much higher than they had been previously, which left us ready and eager to spend time with Frankie and Tommy. Because it was a Saturday I consented to Cameron staying up longer so he could join us. I wasn't sure who was more delighted by my decision, Cameron or Jane, as they both reacted with equal childlike glee.

Ordering Jane to rest I made sure Cameron was fixed up with some books to read before contacting Angela to let her know we were back. It was time for a true Rizzoli family dinner, the first we'd had since our forced evacuation from Boston.

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	11. Chapter 11: A sense of normality

**Again, thank you for the views, reviews, alerts, and favourite story links. **

**Thanks to ssa-rtune for the beta read.**

**Sorry this has taken a bit longer to post than I had originally hoped. We have this little thing going on the UK at the moment known as the Olympics and like a lot of the country I have been keenly keeping up to date with what is happening. I always loved the Olympics anyway, but being held in the UK has made things that little bit extra special.**

**I also have a very busy three weeks coming up, but I will try and update as and when I can. **

**In this chapter: Some healing, and it's Camerons' birthday. **

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Chapter 11: A sense of normality.

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The meal went well the conversation was light, and Cameron enjoyed spending time with us all. Although Cameron was too young to understand everything we were talking about he just loved the frivolity of the occasion. Eventually it was the youngster's bedtime, and although it was Frankie's turn to look after Cameron, Angela volunteered to take him for the night, with Frankie offering to carry him to Angela's quarters. Sleepily Cameron bid us goodnight, and transported in Frankie's capable arms he was taken back to the main sleeping areas. Once Frankie returned Tommy regaled us with some of the funnier moments of his adventures outside of the bunker. Jane was currently holding her side from laughing so much.

"So let me get this straight, you left buck naked!" Jane got out between peals of giggles. "And the 'nuns' in your group saw you?"

"Hey, it's not like I had much choice, how was I supposed to know there were bears who used that river for salmon fishing. Believe me, when a grizzly gets up close and personal, remembering to grab your clothes from the bush you'd left them on isn't exactly a high priority."

I'll give Tommy his due. He hadn't blushed from embarrassment, at least not yet. That was about to change.

"Yeah, but tell them what the girls said when they saw you." Frankie added.

"How do you know they said anything?" Tommy asked, a hint of color starting to creep up his neck.

"They couldn't wait to tell me when you got back." Frankie pointed to the bruise Tommy had given him. "Besides, you owe me," he smirked.

"Oh they did say something, I can see it in your face, you have to tell us now Tommy," Jane demanded.

"Tell, tell, tell, tell…" The older Rizzoli siblings started to chant.

Finally he raised his hands to silence them. "Alright already, if you must know they said it was still impressive considering it had been in the freezing cold water."

Not quite understanding why Jane and Frankie had collapsed against each other laughing I said. "What was still impress… Oh…" I trailed off as Tommy vaguely gestured to the body part in question, his face now a beet red, I suspected partly through embarrassment that I hadn't realized what he had meant. Usually I was far better at picking up on something like that, unlike Jane who would often cringe at the mere mention of certain body parts, or functions. Wondering why Jane was fine this time, I decided that the reason she was finding this so funny was because it concerned a certain amount of humiliation involving her brother. As my giggling mixed in with the others laughter I silently mused that the Rizzoli sibling bond was something I still didn't fully understand even after all these years. One of my lingering regrets about being an only child.

Taking in the sight of the three of us chortling at his expense Tommy seemed to be trying not to chuckle himself as he counted. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up."

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I could see Tommy and Frankie glancing at each other, it looked like they'd picked up on Jane's weariness, and were preparing to leave. Carefully they wound the conversation down before getting to their feet and bidding us goodnight, leaving Jane and myself ample time to get ready to go to bed.

Exhausted Jane flopped back against the chair and swivelled her head in my direction. "I'm beat, but at least it tentatively feels as if I can get a handle on all the emotional crap I know I'm going to have to deal with."

I smiled gently at her. "I think today did us all good. Finally it seems as though things are looking up for everyone."

"Yeah, that was a nice feeling." Jane closed her eyes and took a tired sigh. "I should really take a shower after being on the beach, but I'm not sure I've got the energy."

"Come on," I said as I hauled Jane to her feet, turned her around and pushed her towards the bathroom. "Just have a quick rinse, you won't regret it."

"Slave driver."

"Ah, but I'm your slave driver and you love me."

Jane laughed again as she made her way into the shower.

While Jane freshened up I tided the room. Although Angela had done an admiral job in clearing things away there was still some litter left over from Cameron's reading. It didn't take long, and Jane soon emerged from the bathroom yawning.

"Your turn," she offered around another yawn.

"I won't be long," I promised as I took my leave.

Sure enough less than fifteen minutes later I was done, and I emerged to discover that Jane had already fallen asleep. Pleased that she looked genuinely relaxed I made my way to the bed and carefully crawled alongside her. Jane instinctively rolled slightly and allowed me to snuggle into her shoulder once I'd dimmed the lights, and I wasn't far behind her in slumber.

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For the next five days our lives followed a similar pattern. Jane tended to have bad mornings, but after spending lunch with Cameron would perk up and we'd take increasing amounts of exercise along the seashore, sometimes talking, other times just relishing the sights and sounds around us. Cameron would then re-join us in the evening for his bedtime story. As I'd suspected the main problems Jane was having revolved around the nightmares and recovering memories. This produced moments of flashing anger and resentment, along with periods of withdrawal from our help. Thankfully none of the episodes lasted for any length of time and I hoped Jane would be agreeable too what I was going to propose next.

We'd just had lunch and had enjoyed Cameron's visit as normal, and now we were making our way up the stairs to the outside. Jane could see I was thinking about something and when she asked what was wrong I knew it was time to broach the subject. So, expecting Jane to react negatively, at least to start with, I braced myself as I said. "I think you need to consider spending a bit of time with Elizabeth Marsden."

Jane backed up slightly looking alarmed. "Oh no, you know I hate shrinks. The god-damned department made me see enough of them over the years. I know I need to heal from this, but just... no!"

"I think it will help you." I said as calmly as I could and tried not to appear condescending to the taller woman. In a fragile state she could easily misinterpret my motives.

I could see the anger starting to build in Jane, and as soon as we reached the beach she strode off, muscles tense as she looked back and snapped. "No, and unlike the BPD you can't order me to see her, and if you don't respect that then you can leave me the Hell alone."

With a heavy sigh I followed, but kept my distance allowing Jane the time to cool down and think about what I'd asked. There was no doubt in my mind Jane would eventually agree to my request. Really the question was how long it would take before she capitulated to seeing the Doctor and chief therapist?

Jane refused to talk to me for the rest of the day, and even when Cameron came in as part of his bedtime routine she remained sullen, although when he asked she did read him his story. Once she'd finished and they'd said their good-nights he made his way uncertainly to my side, and then onto my lap. Cameron asked me in a small frightened voice. "Did I do something wrong? Jane is angry at me."

For the first time since our initial conversation I saw a flash of guilt appear in Jane's eyes. It disappeared almost as quickly though.

Very quietly I said. "No sweetie, she's just got an owie to deal with and she doesn't like the medicine I wanted to give her."

"Medicine can be yucky, I don't like it either." I had to smile at the conviction in Cameron's voice as he made his displeasure about medicine known.

"Why don't you go and kiss her again, it might help the owie." I encouragingly pointed him in Jane's direction.

"Alright," he scrambled off my lap and reached Jane's side. Tugging gently at her shirt sleeve he got her to bend down to his height. Once he could reach Jane's ear he whispered something to her, which cause a flash of shame in Jane's eyes before he kissed her cheek and handed over his second favourite toy, a rather ratty plush turtle he had managed to bring from his home. I was sure Toby the turtle was one reason he had been so taken with Bass when he first arrived. Finally he said good night to me and left us to the silence, Jane staring at the turtle uncertainly.

Eventually she said. "He gave me his tortoise."

"Turtle," I automatically corrected, then realized how absurd my correction sounded.

Jane raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "Really?" However, neither of us elaborated and silence descended once more before Jane finally whispered. "He said that Toby here would make the medicine taste better, and that I could keep him for as long as I wanted. Why did he think I was getting medicine?"

I shrugged. "It seemed easier than trying to explain that I wanted Elizabeth to help you, seeing her is still a treatment, and so in a roundabout way it is a type of medicine."

"Oh." And the silence I'd anticipated descended once more.

"I'll see her," Jane suddenly said, still looking uncertain. "But only if you both agree that you can be there with me, at least to start with."

Relieved that Cameron had been able to penetrate Jane's hostility, I felt sure Jane's precondition was one that both Elizabeth and myself could agree upon.

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The following morning I made the first appointment. Elizabeth had kept an hour free each day for this eventuality, and it was agreed that we would see her the hour after lunch, first in Jane's room, and then if it was considered appropriate, we would continue the sessions outside of her room.

Because of the horrors Jane had been through Elizabeth was going to see her once a day, including weekends for at least the first two weeks, and would plan her sessions from there. Agreeing to meet informally to start with, Elizabeth immediately made her way down to the isolation suite and knocked on Jane's door.

Once I granted her entrance and murmured my greeting, I stood back and allowed the roundish, gray-haired woman introduce herself to Jane.

Cautiously Jane shook hands with the other Doctor. "Hello Jane," Elizabeth's voice was warm and soothing without sounding patronizing. "I'm glad you agreed to see me, why don't we sit for a minute?"

Gesturing to a spare chair, Jane sat down on the bed, and the two women made themselves comfortable, as I carefully remained out of the way.

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That first meeting had been eight days ago, and Jane had managed a huge amount in such a short space of time. My presence was really only needed for reassurance. Jane admitting after the third session that she had begun to realize this was nothing like the mandatory psychiatric evaluations she'd been subjected too at work. She found Elizabeth to be understanding, as well as informative and helpful. There was one major sticking point for Jane, she was having trouble dealing with the anger, even though Elizabeth was telling her it was a perfectly normal response and that she need not worry about how it made her feel.

Encouraging Jane to find ways of safely releasing the rage she held inside had been answered by Tommy of all people. He recalled seeing an old gym on one of his travels, and there had been several bits of boxing equipment strewn about. We were expecting him back today, and I hoped the wall mounted punch bag he had seen was still there and viable. There was a spot near the stables where we could set it up, and it would give Jane the feeling that she was letting go of her anger in a safe manner. When my Father first bought the bunker he had installed a gym on the lower level. However, when we first arrived from Boston I'd discovered it had obviously been ripped out to make room for more essential items such as the food producing Hydroponics bays. Now we had a routine which was productive and working the council were already looking into replacing the original gym with something smaller which would allow people to exercise in a more normal manner. Tommy's current foraging would serve both purposes.

Dressed ready in a sports bra and sweatpants, Jane was pacing by the door and gave a pretty good impersonation of a caged animal. When the phone rang in the room it caused us both to jump. I moved to answer, and as expected it was Vince Korsak. "Tommy's here and he's got the stuff, he and Frankie are going down to set it up now."

I could feel the relief flood through me and from Jane's reaction it must have shown on my face as she also started to relax when I said. "Thanks Vince."

"Anytime Doc, see ya." And before I could say goodbye the line went dead.

I rattled the handset once in the cradle to clear the line, then dialled Elizabeth's number. She picked up on the fourth ring, "Marsden."

"Hello Elizabeth, we've just heard, Tommy's back."

"Was he successful?" She asked.

"Yes." I replied, not needing to say any more as we'd already agreed how we would deal with this beforehand.

"Excellent, I'll see you both at the stables for today's session."

We said our goodbyes and I turned my attention to Jane.

"He got it?" Jane asked straight away, worry coloring her voice.

I smiled reassuringly at her. "It's being set up now, do you want to go down?"

Jane nodded and then strode out of the room, the nervous energy returning, seemingly following the tall woman like some unseen spectre.

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Once we reached the stables Tommy and Frankie had just finished hanging the punch bag from the steel frame which had already been put in place. Wordlessly Tommy handed me the sparing gloves he'd also found and they left us alone. Reaching over Jane eagerly took the gloves, and once she'd put them on started her old well-worn exercise routine. Almost hypnotised by the sight, I watched as the muscles played along Jane's arms and torso, pleased to see the definition was nearly back to what it had been before the virus had played havoc with Jane's body.

Half an hour into the workout Elizabeth had joined my observations of Jane, although I suspect her view was a slightly more professional one than mine. Eventually the stamina that Jane had built up the last couple of weeks faded and she slowed down before stopping. Elizabeth nodded at me and we approached the taller woman. I reached out to help Jane remove the gloves, and she smiled her thanks before turning her attention to Elizabeth.

"How are you feeling?" The other Doctor asked kindly.

Cocking her head to one side as she pondered her answer Jane eventually said. "Better, it helped."

Jane gave a tentative, shy smile which broadened when Elizabeth said. "That's good, don't be afraid to use it, no matter what triggers the anger, use this to get yourself back on an even keel."

Elizabeth looked at us both before turning the conversation onto more mundane matters. "It's Cameron's birthday party tomorrow, are you ready?"

Jane's smile widened even more and her eyes sparkled as she replied. "Yes, I'm looking forward to getting out onto the main beach."

"Not worried about all the people that are likely to be about?" This was something Elizabeth had been working on with Jane, slowly introducing her to some of the people that lived in the shelter, often taking walks together along the corridors. There had been moments when people had stared at Jane, whispering under their breath, obviously recognising that she was the woman who had been cured of the virus. To start with being under the spotlight like that had been very unnerving for the dark haired woman, but as time went on it had lessened and Jane was more comfortable walking around.

The smile faltered slightly before Jane said. "I must admit I'm a bit nervous, for a while there it was a bit like the pointing and whispering I had to put up with after my first run in with Hoyt," then she brightened again. "But I'm going to be with Maura and Cameron, so I'm sure that will balance things out nicely."

"That's a good way of looking at it, I'm sure you will be fine. And I think you've done remarkably well, so I'm giving you tomorrow off. Relax and enjoy yourselves," she paused before jokingly adding. "Doctors' orders."

Seeing the pleased look on Jane's face, Elizabeth smiled and patted Jane's arm, before bidding us goodbye.

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Slowly we made our way back up to Jane's room. As we'd entered Jane turned and asked me. "I can't believe I haven't thought about this before, but what are we doing about presents for Cameron?"

"All taken care of," I reassured her. "One of the carpenters, John, has made him a couple of toys, I asked him to do that a couple of months ago, and your Mother has already collected them ready for tomorrow. I thought we could give them to him after the BBQ."

"Oh, that's good." Jane hesitated and I could see the indecision playing over her face.

"What is it?" I asked gently and moved to place a supportive hand on her cheek. "You can tell, or ask me anything."

Nodding Jane replied. "I know, it's just …" She paused.

"It's just?" I probed, as my thumb softly rubbed her skin, Jane briefly closed her eyes as she lent into the caress.

"I want to move out of this room, start living in the shelter with you. That's what I'd like to give Cameron for his birthday, us all together." Jane's eyes glanced my way when I didn't reply and then fell away to focus on the floor.

I realized by not saying anything I must have been giving Jane the wrong impression, but her quiet entreaty had made me feel such adoration for her I was momentarily stunned. Moving my hand I reached under her chin and guided her to look at me so she could see my sincerity. "I would love that, how about we ask Frankie and Tommy to rearrange the furniture so we can move in tomorrow night?"

The shy smile returned and Jane said. "Yeah, I'd like that a lot."

In a move marking how much Jane had improved, she was the one to make the phone call to her brothers. They also spoke with me, and we arranged for a new bed to be installed in my room. Whilst the beds in the isolation suite were slightly wider than normal, allowing Jane and I a reasonable level of comfort, I knew the one installed in my quarters was nowhere near large enough for the two of us to share. And I had no doubt that we were going to share.

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The following morning dawned early with a very excited five year old bursting through the doors and jumping onto the bed before bouncing up and down. "Docs Maurs, Jane, wake up it's my birthday. I'm five." Cameron proudly announced.

Sleepily Jane laughed at his enthusiasm before grabbing him around the waist and pulling him towards her, stilling his movements for the moment. "We know Bud, why don't you calm it down a bit." Jane looked towards the door and added. "Morning Ma."

Angela had followed Cameron into the room and she smiled at us. "Sorry girls, I tried to stop him, but he was so excited at the thought of spending the day with you."

Jane ruffled Cameron's hair as I lent over to give the boy a kiss.

"That's alright," I reassured the older woman. "We were expecting an early start." Looking at the clock I grimaced slightly, seeing it was a little after six in the morning. "Although maybe not quite this early," I conceded.

"So," Jane said to Cameron. "What do you want to do first?"

"Breakfast, then can we spend some time on the beach?"

"I'm sure we can manage that." Jane looked towards her Mother. "Do you need a hand?"

The older Rizzoli waved off the offer. "No, you girls enjoy the time with Cameron I'll go and sort out some pancakes and bacon."

"Yay," Jane and Cameron exclaimed together. Their joint enthusiasm was endearing and I smiled as they tussled with each other, before, much to my amusement, Cameron landed heavily on Jane's stomach and she realized she desperately needed to get to the bathroom.

Breakfast was a joyful affair, with Frankie, Tommy, Vince and Barry all popping in to wish Cameron a happy birthday. Even Sarah and Kathleen had called in to wish the youngster a good day. Somehow everybody had procured gifts from somewhere and as Jane and I got ready for the day the toys and books kept Cameron cheerfully occupied.

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The rest of the morning was spent with just Cameron, Jane and I on the beach which I had come to think of as ours. The weather was hot and sunny, and we spent the majority of the time playing in the sea, taking advantage of the cooling water. Eventually we'd emerged, happy and relaxed as we made our way inside. First port of call was to change out of our wet clothes. We had all managed to wear cotton based shorts and tops to the beach rather than the more standard leather clothing, but we were soaked through after our exploits. Angela had arranged for three sets of clean clothes to be waiting in Jane's room for this very reason. I had used the bathroom first to change, and was helping Cameron straighten his shirt when Jane emerged after her changing session and for the first time I got to see Jane in brown leather pants. Simply, it took my breath away, and I had to remember to breathe. I stood mesmerised as Jane turned around inspecting the fit, oblivious to my lustful deliberations before Cameron bounded up breaking my train of thought, which all things considered was probably as good job as words like 'ravish' and 'Jane' had passed uncensored through my brain.

Finally we were all ready, and walking over to the main living areas we met up with Frankie and Tommy, who accompanied us to the axillary entrance, Frankie carrying Cameron on his shoulders, and as a group we emerged and Jane got to witness the way we'd set up the main beach for the first time.

Spotting Angela and Vince with the other children under the cliff by the fire pit, which we had made to double as a BBQ, we leisurely made our way over.

"So, what do you think?" I asked Jane as we strolled along.

"It's amazing Maura, I can't believe you've managed so much." Jane reached for my hand, and our fingers wound together loosely. Cameron climbed down from Frankie's shoulders and scampered ahead to show his friends the book Angela had given him.

I could see Jane taking it all in as we walked, her keen Detectives eye mapping security and defence positions with ease. "A lot of people have made it happen, we've been exceedingly lucky."

Just as we were about to join the rest of our group, Barry ran out of the door and made his way over. "I'm glad I caught you Doc," he said. "We're ready for the security upgrade."

Looking at Cameron and Jane I replied. "What, now, can it wait?"

Barry shook his head. "I'd rather we did it now, there is going to be a thirty second period when the system will be completely down and this is the time of day when we've got the highest number of available security personal. In fact quite a few people offered to come in on their time off to make sure the bunker was secured against attack."

"I'm not sure I like the idea of the security being compromised like that." For some reason it left me feeling extremely nervous.

"There shouldn't be a problem," he reassured me. "Only a handful of us know there is going to be a total blackout of systems. As far as the others are concerned there is only going to be a limited power loss."

I frowned as I looked at Jane. She rubbed her thumb along my palm and said. "Go on, if Frost says it's okay then I trust his judgement. Not that I have much idea about what he does with computers."

"Watch it Rizzoli, all I have to do is push a few of those buttons and I can make your life fairly uncomfortable here you know." The younger man smiled at his former partner fondly.

Jane smirked at Barry's response. "Like to see you try," she counted.

Angela had made her way over and hearing what the conversation entailed said. "Go on honey, the food will be a little while longer, and Cameron wants to show Jane Blackie."

"Blackie?" Jane asked.

Pointing to the nearby corral I answered. "Blackie isn't really what she's called because we haven't come up with a name yet, but that's what Cameron nicknamed her."

Jane took in the sight of the black mare cantering around the enclosure. "My God, she's magnificent," Jane stated with awe.

Surprised I said. "I didn't know you knew what to look for in a horse?"

Jane dragged her gaze back to our group. "I know I said I wanted a horse called Walter, but I don't know a thing about them," she confessed. "Well, that is I've never had anything to do with them before, but even I can see she's something special. I'd love to have Cameron introduce me to her."

"It's settled then," said Angela.

"But…" I went to argue, not wanting to miss any of Cameron's special day.

"Ten minutes is not going to make any difference," the older Rizzoli scooted at me with her hands. "Right Barry?"

"Honest Doc, it's not going to take too long," the dark skinned man assured me. "You know the computer office is nice and close and only a minute down the hallway."

"Well," I said hesitantly. "If you're sure?"

Jane bent down to give me a peck on the lips. "I'm sure Cameron will keep me entertained."

"Alright," I finally conceded.

"After you Doc," Barry gestured to the doorway. The split-second before we entered, I glanced back to see Jane and Cameron at the corral rail, with Jane grinning widely and stroking the mare's face and Cameron animatedly chattering away at her side. It was then that I realized my heart would never tire of that sight, and I smiled as Barry and I stepped through the threshold, leaving the beach behind.

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"You said ten minutes Barry," I narrowed my eyes in frustration trying to keep the annoyance out of my voice. "It's already been ten and you still haven't needed my passcodes."

His fingers tapped rapidly against the computer keyboard. "Nearly done," Barry frowned in concentration, and with a final flourish he declared. "All done," he gave me a cheeky grin. "You can enter your codes now Doc." And he moved to make way for me to sit down.

Shifting the chair so it was more comfortable I quickly entered the data Barry needed, and as soon as I hit enter there was a seconds delay before the screen in front of me went black. Barry looked up at the wall clock and started the thirty second countdown.

"Do you need me for anything else?" I asked, but before Barry could answer me the red light by the door started to pulse and a warning siren wailed throughout the shelter.

"What the Hell? That's the manually activated security breach alarm, we're under attack." Grabbing the phone and setting it to speaker mode so Barry could hear what was happening as well, I called the security office. Sean Cavanaugh answered and I barked. "It's Dr Isles, what's going on?"

"This is not a drill Doctor, I think there must have been some kind of sabotage, the timing with the computer shutdown is too precise," he paused and I heard frantic activity in the background. "We have an attempted breach at both the main and axillary entrances. Numbers of attackers is unknown at this time, but they are human and not affected by the virus, I repeat, they are human. Security is holding the attackers at bay, but they desperately need reinforcements. I'm sending in extra people now."

"Oh dear God! Jane, Cameron," I breathlessly whispered before flinging the phone back onto its receiver. I grabbed a sword, bow and quiver of arrows from the cupboard in the office as Barry pulled out some additional weapons from the desk drawer. Handing me a police issue firearm in its holster and extra ammunition clip he said. "For Jane, if the attackers are human she can use it." Tucking the holster onto my belt, and the clip into my pants pocket, I nodded my understanding and together we sprinted towards the beach hoping that nobody had been seriously hurt in the attack. Nearing the entrance I could smell the smoke as it drifted in from outside, along with the sounds of metal clashing and people yelling.

We emerged to total and utter chaos, fires had been lit all along the cliff top, burning a black dense smoke which had drifted down and was obscuring the scene. From the smell I suspected they'd used old tires to create the smokescreen. Spotting at least eighteen attackers I could see they were being held for now, but more were appearing around the headland all the time. I estimated at least another twenty were due to land on the beach within the next five minutes. Frantically I looked around anxiously trying to spot where the birthday party had been situated, my heart sunk when I couldn't see them.

Barry started to usher people into the safety of the bunker, letting animals loose as he went, chasing them inside. Ducking and weaving my way past the melee I strained to find my family in the pandemonium. Within a few seconds Angela and Vince appeared, Angela was beside herself with worry, but I didn't have time to do any more than ask if they were alright and if they knew what had happened to Jane and the children. To my despair they had got separated and could give me no answers. I directed them inside, Vince immediately going to get a weapon to help Barry.

Finally I spotted Cameron crouched down beside the black mare, who appeared to have taken a protective stance next to him. I yelled his name and he heard me, making my way over I realized we were going to be cut off from the entrance. Turning I could see almost everybody else was safely within the fortified line provided by security personal, so I shouted at Barry. "Secure the door once everybody is safely inside. Don't argue with me, I'll find the others and get them to the lower emergency entrance."

There was a moment's hesitation before he nodded his agreement. I let the black mare loose and she galloped over to Barry and once she was inside he started to direct the security forces so they made a cordon around the entrance as they fought off the attack. I reached down and picking Cameron up I asked. "Do you know where Jane and the others went?"

He nodded against my neck and sniffling he pointed towards the small cove that sat on the opposite side of the beach to the headland. "Jane took them over there, but I forgot my book and I came back for it."

"Alright sweetie, let's join them shall we?" I kept my voice calm and ducking past the rocks I made my way in the direction Jane had headed. Luckily the smoke cover worked for us and we went unnoticed. Soon we reached the large outcrop which marked the edge of the cove. It was then our luck ran out and two men made our position. Dropping Cameron I made sure he was securely behind me as I gripped my sword ready to defend us against their imminent attack.

I was able to defeat the first man fairly easily, it was obvious he had little or no experience using the sword as a weapon, and his movements were choppy and uncoordinated. Soon I had him disarmed and injured with a disabling slice to his dominant arm. The second attacker was more controlled though, and with his superior height and weight I was having a difficult job in defending our position. He'd already managed to slice my upper arm quite deeply, and although I could tell it was an injury that would heal well with stitches it was bleeding freely. For a moment I stumbled on some loose shale and the attacker pressed home the advantage, easily getting within my defences and striking me across the arm once more, causing my arm to weaken considerably. With an evil grin he raised his sword again and I knew if he hit me for a third time it would be all over for both Cameron and I.

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	12. Chapter 12 Battle lines of bodies & mind

**Authors note: Thank you for the reviews, alerts, favourite links and comments. As suggested by one review it was time to remind ourselves that this is not a perfect place, as I'd already hinted that in one of the earlier chapters.**

**Sorry this a longer authors note but I must also add that I **_**normally**_** have between one or three chapters already roughly written out in advance on my computer, so I should be alright to get another update done in a week or so. ****HOWEVER****, please bear with me as my family and I have a long emotional couple of weeks ahead and I might not get the chance to do more with the chapters other than a final edit. Unfortunately the time is not emotional in a good way, although I am happy to say it looks like the worst is over. I promise the chapters are on my PC, so rest assured the story is on-going albeit slower than I perhaps would have liked. **

**Thank you to ssa-rtune for the beta read. Although as before, all and any mistakes are mine and mine alone.**

**So, without further ado, in this chapter: Battling their way through to reach safety.**

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Chapter 12: Battle lines of bodies and minds.

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Fearing the worst, I was shocked when the man in front of me was suddenly thrown to the ground as a body came hurtling past me in a blur of speed and tackled him. Belatedly I realized it was Jane, and as she punched the man unconscious I could do little more than stare in amazement at her prowess. The look on her face was almost murderous, and I sincerely hoped she wouldn't lose control of her emotions when they were nearly back to normal. To my relief Jane stopped her assault once the man was incapacitated. Breathing heavily Jane stood back up and pulled Cameron to her, obviously relieved at finding him safe. Sluggishly I remembered to pull out the gun and ammunition clip and hand them to her.

"Here," I told her, still slightly stunned by the display of raw unadulterated power that Jane had exhibited. "Barry gave me these for you."

"Well done Frost." Jane muttered as she efficiently checked the weapon over and nodded her approval. "Come on," she said. "I've got the kids holed up in a small cave, but the low tide has turned so we can't stay there long."

"We can reach the emergency lower exit from here," I reassured her. "If we trek along the cliff top there is a path that leads down onto our beach.

I could see Jane give me a funny look when I called it our beach, but now was not the time to discuss such matters. Scrambling carefully over the slippery seaweed covered rocks we turned a corner of the cove and I could just make out the outline of the cave entrance that Jane was now steering us towards.

Entering the cave I was thankful to see all eight children in Jane's care appeared unharmed. In addition to Cameron's two friends there had also been six other children playing on the beach when the attack started. Taking a moment to visually check everybody over I was suddenly pulled into a tight hug by Jane.

"God Maura, I was so worried about you," she whispered into my ear, and I could feel my tears gathering such was the emotion in Jane's voice.

"Same here," I managed to shakily reply.

We held on for a long moment, taking an inordinate amount of comfort from each other, but eventually the emergency of the situation could not be ignored any longer and reluctantly we pulled apart. With some concern Jane inspected my wounds. The worst problem had been the slight shock and blood loss which initially had left me slightly dizzy. However, as we had no way of treating my injuries she had to take my reassurances that I would heal without any problems. Looking over Jane's hands I was pleased to see there was no real damage done after her defence of Cameron and myself, only some very minor soft tissue damage showed which would easily mend. Tolerating my nurturing Jane then turned her attention to Cameron, and wrapping a long soothing arm around him she asked. "How are you doing Bud?"

He sniffed. "I'm sorry I didn't do as you said. I should have stayed with you. I only wanted my book."

Recognizing the boys upset at disobeying her orders Jane knelt down beside him and lightly held his shoulders. "Yeah, you should have, but I think you've learnt your lesson, and I'm just glad that you're okay. You need to promise that if Maura or I tell you something like that again you'll listen though, can you do that?"

Cameron looked up and seeing that Jane wasn't angry only concerned he threw his arms around her neck and held on tightly. "I promise," he mumbled against her hair.

"Alright then," standing up Jane lifted Cameron with her and he settled against her hip. Jane adjusted him slightly so she still had easy access to the gun, which she'd put in her belt, and then she turned her attention back to me.

Jane smirked. "I would say 'lead on MacDuff', but we've had this discussion already and I know the quote should be 'lay on MacDuff'."

I smiled at the way Jane remembered things like that. "You're right. 'Lay on MacDuff' is indeed the correct quote from Shakespeare's Macbeth."

Jane made me chuckle as she cockily replied while lowering Cameron back down. "Told ya I was awesome. Now let's get these children home safely. I'll lead, you can cover our six."

Vaguely remembering the term from our discussion back at the BPD café a couple of years previously about cop talk, I knew Jane wanted me to keep a lookout at the back of the group. Although my technical fighting skills had improved over the last year, it was with some relief that I tendered overall control to the vastly more experienced woman. Checking the outer area was free from attackers we started our slow climb up the cliff path that would lead us back to the shelter.

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Several times we had to skirt past some attackers who were left in the area, although they appeared to be wandering about without coherent direction or orders. We surmised that the main attack had failed and now they didn't know quite what to do. I had yet to tell Jane about the concerns of a security leak within the shelter. And I hoped that if a person inside had been directing operations that they had now been cut off from their attacking force, thereby lacking a cohesive attempt at a possible internal revolt. There was still a very real risk of immediate confrontation though, and we were careful in our flight towards the beach.

About halfway to our destination Jane silently beckoned for us to halt and crouching low in the undergrowth I could hear what had attracted her attention. There were at least two distinct voices, low enough that I couldn't make out what they were saying, yet menacing enough to send a shiver of worry down my spine. Jane must have seen my reaction because she sent a reassuring look my way before signalling me to stay there with the children. Before I could argue she shot us a confident smile and stalked forward.

Sneaking my way to the front of the undergrowth I could just make out two men, both armed with bows and arrows, but no swords. A slight noise was heard to our left and I could see one man gesticulating to the other to investigate. As soon as he was out of sight Jane had pounced on the remaining attacker and with the minimum amount of noise had him unconscious and hidden in the dense ground-cover. The speed and skill with which Jane struck was considerable, and although I knew she was a proficient hand to hand fighter, there were signs that she had a subconscious memory of the tactics she'd learnt to survive this last year. Before I could ruminate further the second attacker appeared, and with hardly time to blink Jane was there, rendering him helpless with a single crushing blow between the C3 and C6 vertebrae, in effect compressing the larynx and I suspected the trachea as well.

Making her way back to us with a stealth that was impressive Jane took time to give us all a quick glance over to make sure we were alright before we continued on our way. That moment of protectiveness was endearing and it was so natural, so much like the Jane Rizzoli I knew and loved that despite the circumstances I smiled slightly as we carried on with our journey. We stopped briefly to collect the weapons that had been on the men, as all were a precious commodity and Cameron and the other children easily carried them so they were not a hindrance to us.

With a great deal of relief we finally reached the path that led down to the emergency exit. Jane took the lead, and helped the children over the rougher parts of the track, and I kept an eye out for any enemies. We'd nearly reached the bottom when several men appeared at the top of the path and spotted us. Reaching for the bow which was slung across my back I started to lay down covering fire, luckily the men only appeared to have similar weaponry, as no guns were produced. My arm hurt, but I was still able to nock the arrows and draw the bow with accuracy. I could see Jane was about to reach for her gun and join me but I shook my head at her.

"No," I ordered her. "Get the children to the door. The combination is my birthday, followed by your birthday, sixteen digits in total so use full year of birth. If there are any more of these attackers out there you might need the ammunition to get inside safely. Plus the noise from a gun could alert more of them. Not to mention my arrows are easier to replace. I promise as soon as you're safely inside I'll join you."

I could see the grinding of Jane's teeth at her displeasure in leaving me to cover their backs. What I hadn't mentioned was that we would lose sight of each other for a short while as there was a bend in the beach that we had to negotiate. Finally Jane nodded and ushering the children quickly they left me to cover their retreat.

I was able to keep a half eye on their progress until they reached the bend. I counted to twenty to give them time to clear the obstruction before following. Just as I reached the apex of the corner my heart clenched in fear as I heard the unmistakable sound of gunfire. There were two controlled bursts, followed by a frightening silence. Throwing caution to the wind I ran as fast as I could to the other side and was relieved to see Jane helping the last child in through the door. Before I could get any closer though I felt a searing pain in my lower left leg and I collapsed to the ground. Looking down I could see an arrow had found its mark, a large groove now present along the outer edge of my calf. I could tell that there was little chance of major damage. However it was bleeding badly and with the blood loss from my previous wounds it was fairly debilitating. I had also twisted my knee when I fell. Jane witnessed my attack and started to make her way towards me.

"No!" I bellowed, stopping her in mid-stride as I managed to struggle to my feet. "Go inside, secure the door, and get the children to the lower level. I'll be there in a minute."

Seeing the pain in Jane's face at the thought of leaving me behind I implored loudly enough for her to hear. "No Jane, trust me on this, _please_, just go."

Limping heavily I made my way in her direction. Once Jane saw I was moving again she shouted. "If I find out you're lying to me I'll kill you myself." Not waiting for a reply she turned on her heel and shut the door behind her.

Fortune was on my side, and the curve in the bluff now worked to my advantage and shielded me from further attack. I passed two bodies on my way to the door, and knew Jane's gun had been responsible, but I neither had the time, nor the inclination to check and see if they were alive or not. From the brief glance I got of the bodies the professional Medical Examiner in me suspected the gunshots had been instantly fatal. With a considerable amount of relief I reached the rock face, and opened up the keypad. It didn't take me long to enter the code and I made my way into the safety of the shelter, slamming the door shut behind me with a huge sigh. With luck nobody would have witnessed the door being opened or closed, leaving the attackers wondering how we had escaped.

The adrenaline that had helped me up until now was wearing off though, and coupled with the blood loss I knew I was likely to collapse before long. So as much as I wanted to stop and take a breather at the top of the stairs I forced myself forward and made my way down the fifty steps. I was correct in my assessment of my injuries, and as soon as I reached the lower level and stepped out of the stairwell, I could feel my vision narrowing, my head spun and the world went black.

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When I came around I was pleased to note I wasn't suffering any of the ill effects that I would have expected if I had struck my head as I'd fallen, no dizziness, nausea, amnesia or confusion. Opening my eyes it was not Jane's concerned face that greeted me, but Frankie's troubled one. I looked down and could see somebody had cut off the lower half of my pant leg and placed an emergency field pressure dressing on my calf. Frankie rested a restraining hand on my shoulder as I went to move. "Whoa there Doc, you need to take it steady." I could tell he was extremely worried about something, and from the way he kept glancing behind him I knew he wasn't only anxious about me.

"Frankie, what is it? Where's Jane?" When he didn't answer me straight away my apprehension ratcheted up immeasurably as I demanded again. "Frankie, where's Jane?" I struggled against his grip. "Damn it man, answer me or let me go!"

"She's not been injured, and the kids are safe," Frankie rushed to tell me when he realized I wasn't going to settle until I knew what had happened. "Peter Wright will be here in a moment to check you out, but he had to call Elizabeth first."

Peter Wright was the tall, blond Doctor in charge of the bunker's Emergency Trauma unit, our equivalent to an ER. "What do you mean he had to call Elizabeth? You're not making any sense." My anger was rising by the second, as was my fear.

Frankie closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them I could see he'd decided to tell me what was going on. "Cameron told Peter Jane saw you collapse, Peter thinks she's had a disassociated episode. Jane won't let anybody near her or the children, and she's behaving more like she would have done under the influence of the virus. Peter was hoping Elizabeth could calm her down."

"Shit. Frankie, help me up." I grasped his arm and started to move.

"Er Maura, are you sure that's a good idea and all?" He shifted which allowed me more room to manoeuvre from under his restraining hand.

"Yes," I practically growled. "Jane is more important right now, so, are you going to sit there and do nothing, or are you going to get me over to where Jane is so I can help?"

"Over to help Jane," he replied uncertainly.

"Oh good answer," I said sarcastically, having learnt a lot from Jane over the years. I let him pull me to my feet, and wrap his arm around me so I could hop along.

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The sight that greeted me when we reached the stabling area nearly broke my heart. The former Detective stood in front of an open stable door, with the children shielded behind her. There was a wild look in Jane's eyes, plus her hair looked as though it had been pulled in all directions and she was brandishing the gun at anybody who came near. Peter Wright and Elizabeth had taken shelter behind a stack of feed bins and were trying to get Jane to listen to them. It obviously wasn't working. When Peter realized we were there he turned to me and said rather condescendingly. "You're really in no condition to be here Dr Isles."

"Good job I don't have to take your advice then Dr Wright," I snapped back, annoyed by both his tone and the impersonal way he had used my title.

Elizabeth joined in and said reasonably. "Peter, as much as I don't like seeing Maura injured, she might be the only person who can get close to Jane right now, and I don't know about you, but I'd rather not attempt medication or sedation while there is a gun involved."

"Finally somebody is making sense," I grumbled, and with help from Frankie I made my way to stand at Elizabeth's side. Once Frankie knew I was stable on my feet he stood back and allowed me to work unhindered.

However, before I could find out more Peter had obviously decided to try and take control of the situation and he called out to the tall woman. "Jane we need you to listen to us."

Immediately Jane's face hardened and her stance changed, for some reason she'd definitely become more agitated upon hearing the man's voice.

For the first time in my life I really swore without thinking. "For fucks sake Peter, are you trying to force her into a complete mental breakdown?"

Elizabeth had scowled at the other Doctor whilst I'd spoken, and it was clear she was as unhappy as I was with his attempts to control the outcome. When she voiced her thoughts, the tone bespoke no argument and it was not so much a request, as a polite command. "I think we can take it from here, I suggest your talents are employed elsewhere and you set up the infirmary ready to treat Maura once we've got things contained. After all, Jane is currently my patient and this is more my area of expertise. Not forgetting that emotionally Maura knows Jane far better than anybody else here."

Seeing Peter opening his mouth to reply I scowled at him, and he snapped his jaw shut before nodding and stalking away like a chastised schoolboy.

I let out a sigh of relief. "He's a talented Emergency Trauma Doctor, and I admire him for that, but he does need to remember keep his ego in check and recognise his limitations. What was it you once called him Elizabeth?"

"I believe I said he could be an insufferable ass," she replied with a flicker of amusement.

"Yes, that was it." Turning my attention to the stable and the stressed woman standing guard I asked other Doctor. "How did you manage to talk to Cameron?"

"Jane seems to respond better to my voice as well as Frankie's. Her brother was first on the scene as he'd heard from Barry Frost that you were heading for the emergency exit and knew where the stairs entered the shelter. Before I got here he'd somehow been able to calm both Jane and the children down before going to help you." Elizabeth paused. "You do realize I'm going to quiz you about that closely guarded secret exit once this is all over?"

"I know," I sighed, wishing now I had told Elizabeth about it before, if she had been here with Frankie when Jane arrived this might not have happened. I certainly trusted the older woman enough to have told her. "Have you had any kind of verbal response from Jane?" I queried, trying to work out how I could safely get closer to the other woman.

Elizabeth shook her head. "None, although I've not been here long, I suspect it will be down to you and Cameron to talk her round. Do you think the boy will be capable of dealing with that kind of responsibility?"

Without hesitation I said. "Absolutely, he's a remarkable child, and he clearly adores Jane."

"That will help." Elizabeth paused and I could see her glancing around, shrewdly taking in the area and seeing if there was anything we could use to help us. Settling her gaze on a fairly low dividing wall in the stable next door to the one Jane occupied Elizabeth finally smiled with relief. She pointed to it and asked. "Do you think your leg will hold up getting you into that stable and over the wall so you can join the children?"

I carefully judged the distance and difficulty. "I would think so, why do you ask?"

"If you can get in with the group Jane is protecting she will associate you as a person under her care. I'm extremely hopeful that between you and Cameron you'll be able to bring her mind back to the present situation."

"Alright," I agreed. "Are there any major pitfalls I should be aware of?"

"No, you know the real Jane, and that's the person you need to talk too. Her natural response as a police officer is to protect, and that automatic outcome coupled with the resulting trauma of the last year and today has caused her to react in this dissociated manner. Let her know you're okay and that everybody is securely inside the shelter. Reassure her, comfort her with words and if you feel it's safe to do so try and get within her personal space. If she lets you close enough for person to person contact she's likely to respond much quicker." Elizabeth placed a cautionary hand on my arm as I was about to move. "But don't take chances. If Jane feels threatened she _will_ react negatively, and it won't matter to her who you are. Indeed, if that happens she may not even recognise you."

Nodding I knew I had to take Elizabeth's warning seriously.

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Ignoring the pain from my leg I slowly hobbled my way towards the neighboring stable. Elizabeth helped by calmly talking to Jane and distracting her from my endeavours. Once inside the wooden structure it was easier that I had initially thought to clamber over the wall and I saw the children huddled in the opposite corner, with Cameron reassuring the youngest girl in the group. He beamed when he saw me and ran over to hug my uninjured leg.

"Docs Maurs," he said. "Are you here to make Jane all better?"

Taking care of my injuries I knelt down on my sound knee to tightly hug the boy as I answered. "That's the plan do you want to help me?"

He nodded before I relaxed my grip and with a grimace I slowly got to my feet. With concern Cameron looked at my leg. "Are you hurt bad?"

"No sweetie," quickly I reassured him." It just looks worse than it is because Frankie used a big bandage." Given the circumstances I didn't feel it was appropriate to correct his grammar.

Focusing on why I was there I asked. "Has Jane let you near her?"

"Oh yes, only she won't let us leave or talk to me and she looks at everybody else funny." Cameron looked worried as he spoke.

"Do you think you could go and let her know I'm here?" I asked with a small smile at my young charge.

"Sure," and before I could respond Cameron had skipped off to stand at Jane's side, obviously not feeling at all threatened by the tall woman's manner which was a comfort. When he had Jane's attention he lent up towards her ear and speaking quietly passed on the message.

For a fleeting moment I witnessed a change in Jane, if you blinked you would have missed it, but it was there and it was relief that I saw cross her face. Somehow Cameron had got through to her. I knew that would make the rest of my job easier as I was determined to get close enough to touch Jane and bring her back to us.

Once Cameron was back within the safe confines of the stable I made my way to the door, standing a mere four foot from Jane and for the first time since my arrival back in the shelter I spoke directly to her. "Jane my love, we're all safe, the bunker is secure, and you can relax now."

Only a twitch of facial muscles gave any indication that Jane had heard me. I waited a moment before I spoke again. "Frankie's here, he can take care of the children now. Will you let me send them out to him?"

There was a shake of Jane's head, although it looked more like she was trying to dislodge something rather than a dismissal of my request. Patiently I waited until she was settled. "Cameron wants to finish his party and the others really need to get back to their loved ones. I expect they're desperate to see each other again."

A low groan issued from Jane and I could see the tension in every visible muscle and tendon as she struggled with her internal mental battle. I kept up a low, calm dialogue, trying to focus my words on what Elizabeth had instructed. Gradually the arm holding the gun lowered and relaxed somewhat and I felt it was safe to send the youngsters out.

Looking behind me I could see the children's faces were worried but not frightened. I gestured with my hand." Come on, you can go now. Do you all know Frankie Rizzoli?" Every head nodded. "Good," I smiled. "He's outside waiting for you, go to him, and when you're all there he'll take you back up to the living quarters." Slowly they all got up and cautiously made their way past Jane and into the capable arms of her younger brother.

Finally only Cameron was left and I motioned for him to join me. "I know I told Jane that you'd like to get back to your party, but do you want to stay and help me instead?" I smiled at him as I asked the question, exceedingly proud at the way he had behaved throughout the whole ordeal.

His face scrunched up as he thought long and hard about what he wanted to do. Eventually he decided. "I think Jane wants you more than me. And Angela did say there was a birthday cake for me."

"Birthday cake. Oo, will you save some for both Jane and I?"

"Of course silly," he laughed as if the idea of us not getting any cake was absurd.

I could see Frankie was fidgeting. "Looks like somebody is waiting for you," I pointed to where Frankie was standing.

"Okay," the boy happily said before he made his way out, but not before detouring to Jane's side and hugging her leg as best he could he said loudly enough for me to hear. "I love you. Let Docs Maurs make it all better." He ended by kissing her pant leg before he ran to Frankie side. Getting a slight smile and nod of acknowledgment from the younger Rizzoli I watched as he patiently and efficiently corralled the children before herded them towards the elevator.

Turning my attention back to Jane I took a step towards her, judging her reaction as I went. When there was no negative response I kept edging nearer until I could reach out and touch her arm. I carefully avoided trying to take the gun from her grasp, as I knew Jane needed to relinquish its hold on her own volition.

At my contact Jane jumped and visibly gulped hard and so I reiterated my previous statements. "It's alright sweetie, it's only me, we're all safe and the shelter is secure." Again Jane shook her head as if she was trying to dislodge something and another low groan emanated from her throat.

"Do you think you can talk to me?" I gently probed. This time the very slight shake of her head was a definite negative to my request.

"That's fine, but maybe you can hand me your gun. Frost can put it back in his armoury now we don't need it anymore."

There is was. An unmistakable response as Jane looked down at the gun as if she was seeing it for the first time.

After staring at the metal in her hand for a long moment Jane wordlessly reached over until it was within my grasp. Carefully I took it from her loose grip, checked the safety was engaged, and placed it on the floor. Then with some effort given my injuries, I kicked the weapon towards Elizabeth and out of harm's way.

Certain my presence wouldn't be rebuked I slowly advanced and cupped Jane's cheek with my hand. The smallest of the results so far when she moved her head very slightly into my caress, and closed her eyes.

Gently, oh so gently I wrapped my arms around the taller woman and held her close. She moulded into my body and groaned as if it was a relief to hold me. "You've come so far, don't quail now my love."

That was the final breakthrough. "I thought quail was a fucking bird Maura." Jane whispered.

"Ah, you are most likely thinking of the Bobwhite Quail, which was the most common species in America before the virus spread. A combination of fields, brush, weeds patches and wood lots are ideal places for Bobwhite habitat, and we frequently hunt them to supplement our food sources. However, in this context it can also mean don't flinch or back down." I could have explained more but it wasn't the time so I clamped down on my natural instinct to give Jane all the available information I had learned about the word in the past.

Finally Jane voiced her fears. "I thought you were dead, all I could see was the blood and I thought you'd lied to me." Jane's speech was hoarse from the strain of what we had been through.

With horror I realized how my collapse must have appeared to the other woman. "Oh God sweetie, I'm so sorry you thought that. When I made my way down the stairs it never occurred to me how you might view my arrival, but I wouldn't break a promise to you, I'll be fine."

Huge racking sobs finally tore through Jane's frame and all I could do was hold her as she worked through her anguish. Eventually completely collapsing against me as she cried, Jane's weight proved too much for my injuries and we tumbled to the floor in an ungainly heap. Keeping a tight grasp of the taller woman I moved so I could rock her while whispering words of comfort into her ear. For the moment my own pain was forgotten as I focused all my attention on my friends suffering. Vaguely I was aware of Elizabeth moving in to administer a sedative to Jane, and giving it time to work the older Doctor readied a couple of gurneys, and the associated medical staff that would be used to take us both back up to the infirmary. Sadly I realized that between this setback for Jane and my injury, our plans to move in as a family were going to be put on hold. Although I took comfort in the fact that at least we would still be together in the infirmary.

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Once the sedative took hold, Elizabeth's proficiency soon had Jane moved onto the first gurney. Making sure Jane only had a minimum of restraints in place so she would be safe as the gurney was moved, knowing with Jane's history if she came around fully restrained it was likely to do more harm than good, Elizabeth turned her attention to me. I could see she thought I would protest about having to leave on a gurney, but I was bone weary tired, not to mention in some pain and so I surprised her when I easily capitulated. Smiling my thanks when Elizabeth helped me into place and strapped me in, it wasn't long before our little group silently made its way back up to the infirmary.

Peter was waiting impatiently for my arrival, and when Elizabeth saw him she lent down so only I could hear what she had to say. "Don't worry, I'll make sure Jane is put in a room with you, and I'll stay with her until you get there. Do you want me to call Angela?" She squeezed my hand reassuringly.

"Yes please, I know Frankie will have told her was has happened but I expect she'll be desperate to know how things ended. Thank you," I whispered back. "For everything." Even though Elizabeth had seen me in a professional capacity, as well as overseeing Jane's recovery, I felt we had become firm friends over the last few months, and I was glad to have her on my side.

"Anytime, I'll see you shortly." She glanced at Peter. "And don't let that miserable little pipsqueak bully you into anything you're not happy with."

For the first time since the whole attack started I gave a genuine chuckle. "Pipsqueaks a word I haven't heard since my school days. Don't worry, he may be in charge of emergency care but he knows if it came down to a power struggle he wouldn't stand a chance against all the people that came with me from Boston."

"Good," looking over to Jane Elizabeth squeezed my hand one final time before we went our separate ways.

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The moment I was moved into a treatment room Peter began to assess the damage to my arm and leg. As I suspected Peter was fairly insufferable as he treated my wounds, it was obvious his pride had taken a beating after being dismissed so abruptly at the stables. Thankfully his medical training wasn't affected and he was at least efficient and competent in treating me. Eventually I was able to tune out his voice and I let my mind drift. It was with some surprise that I felt the other Doctor shake my shoulder to regain my attention.

"Sorry," I hedged. "I must have been more tired than I originally thought."

All I got in return was a scowl, so with a sigh I asked. "Are we done here? Only I want to get back to Jane."

Peter pointed to the bed by the gurney. "All you need to do is move onto the bed," he made no offer to help me so I struggled across on my own. As I was getting comfortable he finally said in a disapproving tone. "Why you continue to put yourself in these situations is beyond me. You're a Doctor, and you should act like one, not go gallivanting off like some vigilante. I may be good, but even I can't prevent you getting another scar this time."

Rankled I frowned at his audacity and responded in clipped tones. "How I conduct my life is my choice and mine alone. You may not approve, but frankly the only approval I need is from the people in my life who love me and they are perfectly happy with my decisions. Are we clear on this matter_ Doctor_?" I made sure to emphasise his rank.

"Absolutely, I'll get you moved into your room. Doctor Marsden has deemed it important that you and Jane Rizzoli share a room. Despite my protests on this matter, Graham and the council have backed her decision." Turning on his heel Peter left the treatment room before I had a chance to respond, although by that stage I was glad to see the back of him.

The nurse who entered was a nice young woman called Carrie, and we'd spent time talking about various subjects over the past year. She took the words right out of my mouth when she said. "I bet you're glad to see a friendly face. Didn't Peter's Mother ever tell him if he kept scowling like that it would stick?"

While she was talking Carrie had released the brakes on the bed and moved it so we were heading down the corridor. Jane was situated three doors down, and I laughed at Carries easy banter. Just as we entered the swing doors I replied. "I would have thought with the success of the antidote he would have finally been happy, and I'd heard he was for a while. Thank goodness for people like you."

Elizabeth had got up from her chair at our arrival and helped Carrie situate the bed so I could easily reach over and take hold of Jane's hand. "I think he's jealous," she added to the conversation. "Of all the people you could have come across to use the initial antidote on, the person happened to be somebody you love dearly."

I fell silent for a moment as I pondered Elizabeth's words. "Surely not," I finally offered.

Elizabeth shrugged. "People have been jealous for a lot less, but you need to get some rest. Angela will call by later with some food, and I'm going to bunk next door if you need me."

"I'm on call all night," Carrie added as she finished up and went to make her way out of the room. "Just buzz me if you need anything."

I smiled and thanked them again for their kindness, and after they left I turned to watch the woman sleeping at my side, my thoughts consumed the worry that we possibly had a traitor within our midst and Peter was acting in such a way that it really made me wonder if it was him.

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	13. Chapter 13: Despair and fury

**A/N: Sorry for the slight delay in updating the story. Thank you for the reviews and follows, and I am pleased to report real life should calm down a little bit from here on in. **

**As before, thank you to ssa-rtune for the beta read, but any and all mistakes and mine alone.**

**I hope you continue to enjoy.**

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Chapter 13: Despair and fury.

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When Angela called in later Jane was still asleep, and although her Mother was worried she was just grateful that we'd both escaped relatively unharmed. Much to my surprise I realized I was exceedingly hungry and soon worked my way through the meal provided. I had expected Angela to leave once I'd finished but she stayed for a little while and kept me company. When I'd enquired why, she had simply reminded me that I was like a daughter to her, and I had been for a long time. It took me back to the time when I'd first told Angela I wished I'd had a Mother like her growing up.

It had occurred about two months after we'd arrived, and Frankie and Tommy were both away on supply gathering missions. Angela had taken the enforced separation badly, and came to me for some companionship. Eventually the conversation had come around to the way Frank had left her, and it came to light that Angela blamed herself for the whole sorry affair, as well as seriously doubting her abilities as a Mother. She was convinced her children thought of her as pitiful. I'd told her that if Jane were with us she would have been the first to tell her Mother how much they admired her. Admired her because she picked herself up when she could have just laid down on the floor and given up. Jane would have said she admired her mother for the person she'd always been, optimistic, warm, loving and strong, an example to all of them. When Angela had asked how I could be so sure, I informed her that Jane had told me how she felt the week before the virus hit. Eight months ago I wished Jane could have been the one to tell her Mother, and now Jane was back with us I had no doubt that at some point Jane would have a chance to confirm all I'd said that day.

Slowly I started to doze off and Angela took her leave. Reaching over I clasped Jane's hand in my own, and making sure I was lying so I could keep her in my eye line I allowed myself to fall asleep.

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The peace was shattered at two in the morning when Jane had woken up screaming my name from particularly bad nightmare. The little information I got from Jane told me that she'd dreamt I'd died instantly from arrow during the previous day's incident. Stiff and sore I was not well placed to help her so I immediately pressed the call buzzer hoping Carrie would wake up Elizabeth. Within the first minute of my call they were both at our bedsides. By then Jane had curled up into a tight ball and refused to acknowledge even my presence. After I had explained the situation to Elizabeth it was with some reluctance the Doctor administered some more sedative, hoping that at the very least it would help relax Jane.

Slowly Jane unwound, but didn't seem to fall asleep. Instead she stayed on that cusp of alertness, not quite fully conscious, but equally not getting the much needed rest which she required. Looking at both Elizabeth and Carrie I made to leave my bed and join Jane in hers. Carrie went to stop me, but Elizabeth held out her arm preventing the young nurse access to my side. "No," she explained quietly. "Sometimes we have to leave medicine aside and follow what our heats desire," Elizabeth shot an apologetic smile my way. "If we help you move Jane might get spooked with us being in such close proximity." Nodding my understanding I slowly stood and sat on the edge of Jane's bed.

Patiently they watched as I made myself as comfortable as I could before reaching to guide Jane into a soothing embrace. After a short while I could feel Jane fully relaxing and her breath even out and I allowed myself fall asleep as well. I even wasn't aware when the other two women left the room. Thankfully the rest of the night passed without incident and we were woken by Carrie when she came in to do the morning check. Elizabeth came with her, and getting Jane up from the bed they moved so they could have a quiet private chat in the corner. I was heartened to see Jane was at least talking to the older woman, even though the session didn't last long. I suspected Elizabeth had deliberately kept it short so as not to overwhelm Jane and I was grateful for the psychiatrist's foresight.

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Peter came in a little while after Carrie had left, and giving me a quick check he decided I was able to walk with crutches, a knee brace and support bandage in place. He also told me I was free to leave the infirmary, taking an exaggerated sigh when I announced I would be staying with Jane. Throughout the whole exchange Jane had done nothing other than eye the man warily. The moment we were left alone Jane scooted closer, and I moved so we could lie back against the pillows, pleased that at least the taller woman was relaxing around me even though she had yet to talk to anybody other than Elizabeth.

When Angela brought our breakfasts, she had Cameron with her, and he made his way straight to Jane's bedside. With a toothy grin he took something off the tray Angela was using and handed Jane a covered plate. Jane quirked an eyebrow in surprise and query as the boy explained. "Some birthday cake for you and Docs Maurs, I said I would keep some for you."

"You did? I missed that bit," Jane replied in a low uncertain tone.

Cameron climbed up and snuggled between us. "That's because you were making sure we were safe," he twisted so he could look into Jane's face. "I like it when you make me feel safe."

Jane only looked uncomfortable at the young boy's praise, so to spare her any further awkwardness I reached over and lifted the lid to find the cake as promised.

"Well thank you Cameron, and although I wouldn't normally agree with eating cake for breakfast I think your birthday warrants some breaking of the rules." I smiled at the pleased boy when Angela appeared at our side.

"Forks for you, I don't want you getting crumbs everywhere now, you hear." She handed the utensils over. Cautiously Jane took one, and we both started to eat the cake. Angela gave us all a smile and quick kiss as she explained that she was needed back at the kitchens before she left us.

Cameron stayed, and I let Jane dictate the pace once we'd eaten. Time past as we read to Cameron and played with some of his new toys. He was especially pleased with the wooden car Tommy had carved for him. Halfway through the morning Jane suddenly got restless, and she abruptly got up and started to pace. I knew I was not up to full strength so I looked at Cameron and said. "Why don't you take Jane to see Blackie, I'll join you shortly."

Jane scowled at my interference, but as I suspected she didn't argue while Cameron was about. With some reluctance she let Cameron drag her from the room. He was full of enthusiasm at the thought of spending more time with both the tall woman and Blackie.

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Part of the reason I had asked Cameron to take Jane was so I could make my way to the security office and find out where we stood after the attack from the day before. When I entered I could see that along with Sean Cavanagh. Vince Korsak, Barry Frost and Frankie Rizzoli were also present, and obviously working on finding out more about the present situation. Vince glanced up when he heard the door open, and once he realized it was me rushed over to offer his arm, and guided me to a seat at the table where there were some papers strewn about. "Glad to see you Doc," he stated as I made myself as comfortable as I could in the plastic chair.

"Good to be here," I replied before cutting to the chase. "What do we know about yesterday?"

The men had pulled up more chairs and joined me, and gesturing to the papers on the table Sean sighed. "To be honest not a lot, the shelter is still on lockdown. Thankfully all our people and animals are accounted for. Aside from your injury five men received wounds that were not life threatening, and three of the woman also received slight injuries that were easily dealt with. No animals were injured, and they were soon relocated to the lower level. Apart from you and Jane nobody else was kept overnight in the infirmary. We know there were at least fifty eight aggressors, several were killed in the attack but our main concern is the fact it does look as though we had a leak from inside the bunker."

"That's been confirmed?" I asked, worried by the implication.

Barry reached over and grabbed a computer printout which he handed it to me. "Oh yes. This is my analysis of the computer security programme. Somehow somebody was monitoring it remotely and as soon as you hit enter they managed to release the electronically controlled locks on the main entrance blast doors. Without operational security cameras at the time, there is no way of knowing who was around that section, if it hadn't been for the extra security personal in place realizing what had happened and hitting the warning button, this would have ended differently. I need to study it further but there is no doubt that this was a very deliberate act from inside our ranks."

I glanced over the data, seeing the parts Barry had underlined. It didn't make much sense to me, but it was obviously the proof he had needed. I placed the paper back on the table and asked a question I wasn't sure I wanted the answer to. "Is there any evidence to suggest more than one person from inside New Boston was involved?"

Sean shook his head. "Not at the moment, if there had been I would have expected them to try and take control of more internal functions. It does look as though they were reliant on the outside attackers getting inside to gain control."

"Well that's something I suppose." However I was still unhappy that somebody felt they needed to seize control of a place that had proved to be such a haven for so many. It was a thought that saddened me. We'd had sporadic attacks in the past, but this was the first major, large scale concerted effort, and the only one that indicated somebody from within New Boston was unhappy with our attempt at democracy.

I turned my attention back to Barry. "How many people knew the upgrade would cause a total security blackout for thirty seconds?"

Barry looked frustrated. "Aside from those of us in this room, I only informed the heads of the main departments. Angela is one person we can safely rule out, so that leaves a further six people. Unfortunately all six were in close proximity to the main entrance at the time and it's proving hard to track down their movements because of the loss of the cameras."

Uncertain that I wanted voice my thoughts from the night before and implicate Peter without any kind of proof, I decided not to say anything unless I received further information. I know I didn't like the man, but not liking a person wasn't a valid reason to accuse them of such a crime. Not only that, he was not one of the six informed of the total shutdown, as ET chief he would have only been aware of a partial power loss. What we were lacking was evidence, and I knew if the men in this room couldn't solve the puzzle then it was likely to remain unsolved. If that happened, it would only create a feeling of distrust throughout the bunker as we would be unable to keep it locked down indefinitely without explaining our reasons. For now people were expecting to be locked in until we could determine how safe it was outside, so they wouldn't query our actions just yet. I also knew that the men with me were aware of the long-term implications, and would be as keen as I was that we found the conspirator behind this and restored stability to New Boston.

I was brought out of my thoughts by Sean who gave voice to the obvious. "Until we find the traitor as security chief I'm going to order we stay in full lockdown mode."

Despite knowing he was following protocol Sean's announcement still made me blanch. "What about the transient groups?" I asked, worried they would suffer as a result of our shutdown.

"We always knew we might have to close our doors for security reasons. The outside stock piles we have in place for the groups should alleviate any serious problems, at least for now." Vince was the one to answer my query.

"Unless the person involved let the attackers know about them and they've already been ransacked," Barry voiced my concern before puffing out a breath and rubbing his eyes. I realized he looked tired, and I suspected he hadn't slept much. "Doc, the harsh fact is we've always done what we could to help others, but we all know first and foremost we have a duty of care to New Boston. There may be casualties outside of this facility, but hopefully that is a short term issue. If we don't secure our position then in the long term a lot more people are going to suffer."

I sighed sadly. "I know you're right, it just goes against all I believe in, against all we hoped to achieve here."

Feeling dispirited I got up ready to leave and Vince promised he would let me know if they found anything. I also made them promise not to let Jane know what was going on. The last thing she needed was getting dragging into helping them before she was more emotionally stable. I said my goodbyes and left the men to their deliberations.

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With a heavy heart I made my way down to the lower level where I knew Blackie would be stabled. As I reached the elevator it suddenly occurred to me that sending Jane back to the scene of yesterday's breakdown may not have been my best decision and with some concern I hit the button, anxiously waiting for the doors to open. I could only put my serious lack of judgement down to the aftermath of yesterday's events. The journey in the elevator seemed to take an eternity, and before the doors were fully open I squeezed my way through. Because the bunker was locked down, a lot of people were working within the animal and growing bays. I took in the relaxed nature of those around me as I passed them by and exchanged customary hellos. Nobody showed any sign of concern, so I hoped that being with Cameron had protected Jane from any emotional overload.

Slowing my approach I took a moment to school my features so Jane would not pick up on my worries from yesterday's incident. Forcing a smile to my face I took care to make sure Cameron and Jane would easily see me. At least that was the plan until I saw them, then I came to an abrupt halt and I could feel my mouth open in surprise and my heart melted at the love I felt for the two people in front of me. In that moment all my worries dissolved away and I took time to watch them unobserved.

What I witnessed gladdened my heart. Blackie was in the large stable at the end of the row, and on her back sat Cameron with Jane gently holding him in place as he grasped Blackie mane. Both were laughing at his antics. It was an astounding sight as the mare had yet to be broken, but here she was, as meek as a lamb tolerating the excited attention from a child she knew well and a woman she didn't know aside from a brief introduction yesterday. I could hardly believe my eyes.

Almost without realizing it my feet started moving again and as I reached Jane's side I placed a hand in the small of her back and smiling said. "Hey, you two look like you're having fun."

Jane glanced at me, a return smile on her face. "Hey yourself, you were a long time, where have you been?"

"I had to see Vince," I answered as truthfully as I could. "I wanted to make sure we had no major casualties from yesterday."

A hint of darkness crossed Jane's face, and I was sure if I didn't know her so well I would have missed it. "Oh yeah… and?"

I smiled reassuringly. "All safely accounted for, we're staying on lockdown until we can determine it's safe to go back outside."

Jane frowned slightly, as if she knew there was something I wasn't telling her, but Cameron dragged our attention back onto him. "Look Docs Maurs, I can ride."

I laughed at his childish zeal. "I think you need to practice a bit more, how about we ask Tommy to give you lessons on Artois?"

If it were possible the wide grin on Cameron's face got impossibly wider at my suggestion. "I love Artois, he's a big horse."

Jane said to me. "First of all I find it slightly creepy that my younger brother is capable of giving riding lessons. And second, why am I not surprised he named his horse after some expensive poncy European beer."

I smiled. "Actually I named his horse after the former province of northern France. Its territory had an area of around 4000 square kilometres and a population of about one million. Its principal cities were Arras, Saint-Omer, Lens and Béthune. And your brother turned out to be a natural rider and skilled instructor."

"Oh God, I might have known, couldn't be as simple as a beer, and I guess he had to be good for something." Jane laughed lightly.

"I like it when Tommy lets me sit on Artois," Cameron proudly stated to Jane. He then carried on fussing Blackie.

Turning my attention back to Jane I murmured so Cameron couldn't hear. "You do know Blackie hasn't been broken?"

Jane looked genuinely shocked. "What," she glanced at the mare, taking in the docility. "Wow, I never would have guessed. I did warn you I'd never dealt with horses before."

I smiled. "I think I'm beginning to realize the true depth of that statement. Frankly I'm amazed. She's a lovely horse but she's never been this tolerant of people she doesn't know. I think she must like you."

With her free hand Jane reached out, and gently stroked down the mares face which was hanging low and relaxed just in front of us. "Probably more Cameron's influence than mine, after all he's the one that knows her."

I wasn't so convinced, but my leg was starting to ache. So I hinted that it was time we leave and go back upstairs for some lunch. To sweeten the idea I suggested we eat in our living quarters rather than the infirmary.

Jane agreed straight away. "That sounds like the best idea today. I'm dying to see the quarters and catch up with Jo and Bass." She reached over to lift Cameron off Blackie's back.

"You know Jo and Bass?" he asked excitedly as we walked back.

"Well yes, Jo is really Jane's dog," I explained as we reached the elevator. "I was looking after Jo for Jane."

"Jo is your dog?" He asked Jane, as if hearing it from me wasn't enough for him to believe it.

"Yep, and I bet between Docs Maurs and you that little dog has been spoilt rotten."

"Maybe," I conceded in a playfully evasive manner as we reached the upper floor.

Jane just smirked at me.

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Jane entered the quarters that had been assigned to me and stopped in shock. She glanced my way in disbelief. "I was expecting a single room. Geez Maura, this is a palace!"

"Far from a palace Jane," I admonished the woman for her hyperbole. "There were three state rooms available, this is one of them, and despite my vigorous objections when I adopted Cameron the council was unanimous in voting these rooms as our quarters.

Taking in the small lounge area, 2 bedrooms, and the ensuite bathroom which contained a shower and toilet Jane said. "They must have given you a reason."

I sighed. "Only that I deserved it after all I'd done. Personally I blame Vince. He was the one who put forward the idea despite my objections." Jo heard my voice from the main bedroom, and had bounded out of the door, coming to stop after spotting Jane before changing direction and jumping up and down at the tall woman barking and whining excitedly.

Jane bent down to pick up her dog. Jo licked Jane's face still whining in excitement. In fact the mongrels' tail was wagging so hard the little dog's entire back half was moving side to side. "Hey Jo, yeah, I've missed you too." Jane couldn't help but laugh at her dog's exuberance.

Noticing Bass in the corner of the room, Jane bent down once more, letting go of the wiggling dog and ran a hand along Bass's shell. "Hey there big fella, I even missed you, glad you're here."

Standing back up, Jane gave a contented sigh and moved to give first Cameron, and then me a hug. Staying within my embrace Jane asked quietly, so Cameron couldn't hear, obviously not wanted to get his hopes up. "Can we stay here tonight?"

I relaxed into the warm body that surrounded me. "How about I ask Elizabeth? If she approves I would love us to stay here tonight. Although if she is agreeable she might not want Cameron around until we can judge how well you're going to sleep. Hopefully being out of the infirmary will help you relax."

I felt Jane drop a kiss onto the top of my head in answer.

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Eventually we had to move as I needed to let Angela know we planned to eat in our quarters. When the older Rizzoli heard the news she squealed down phone so loudly I had to hold it away from my ear. After she'd calmed down I invited her to join us and she accepted with obvious glee.

It didn't take Angela long to arrive, and we sat at the small table in the main living area to eat. It may have been slightly cramped with the four of us, but it was thoroughly enjoyable. Cameron was thrilled to have us all in our quarters, and he kept regaling Angela with his morning adventures involving Jane and Blackie, much to her amusement.

Finally Jane couldn't take the constant smiles her Mother was throwing her way any longer and said rather brusquely. "What Ma? Why do you keep looking at me like that?"

"Oh, just enjoying the fact that my baby finally has a family of her own and I get my grandkids." Angela sprouted happily.

"Seriously, you bring this up now? What the He … Jane glanced at Cameron and trailed off before correcting herself. "Heck, Ma, we've only been together a couple of weeks," her eyes narrowed. "And what's with the Grandkids comment? We have Cameron, one child, singular not plural."

"Well, you never know, you might want more kids in the future." Angela got up and bustled around clearing up the mess from our lunch. Cameron went off to play with Jo Friday.

I could see Jane was getting increasingly flustered so I stepped in. "I do agree with Jane that it might be a bit early in our relationship to have this conversation."

"Oh nonsense," Angela waved a hand dismissively. "It's never too early to think about these things. Besides, in a way you and Jane were a couple long before you officially got together, seems about the only two people who didn't realize how the other felt was both of you. I think it would be best if Maura got pregnant, that way Tommy or Frankie can provide the sperm."

Feeling my eyes widen in shock, I could only look at Jane in the vain hope that she had some idea about how to dissuade her Mother from getting too excited about the whole relationship issue. Children included. From the blank stare Jane was giving Angela I realized it was down to me. Going over to take her arm I gradually steered her towards the door. "Angela, really this is too soon, especially after Jane's ill health, but I do need to ask you to look after Cameron tonight. If we get the green light from Elizabeth Jane wants to stay here. I know the original plan was that the three of us would sleep in our quarters, but I want to make sure Jane has at least one good night's rest before we bring Cameron into the mix. And it was going to be a surprise for Cameron anyway, so he had no expectations to stay here."

"Oh of course honey, that's a great idea," she patted my arm." I'll take him now." Calling Cameron over, he eagerly agreed to spend some time with Angela and Tommy. The older Rizzoli shooed him out of the door and as she cheerily left, her parting comment was. "Just think about what I said girls, love ya."

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When I re-entered the room Jane finally seems to come out of her stupor and pointed towards the door. "Please tell me that conversation did not take place. That was too assed weird even for Ma!"

"Oh honey I wish I could," flopping down onto the small sofa along the one wall I let my head fall back onto the cushions. "Although I have to admit she did raise a good point with Tommy and Frankie"

Jane came to sit beside me and mirrored my pose. "We are not having this conversation," she declared grinding the words out slowly.

I rubbed my face with my hands and shook my head. "No, sorry, you're right. I don't know why I said that, I think I need to take a rest."

Immediately concerned by my comment Jane turned so she could take my one hand between both of hers and said in a worried tone. "Oh God Maura, we've been doing so well today I forgot about your injuries, do you need me to get anything?"

I smiled wanly at her and reaching up to Jane's face I smoothed the skin that had puckered up into a frown as I said. "I could do with taking some more painkillers," tugging Jane back down when she went to get up I added. "But they can wait, being here with you is what I really need right now."

"Yeah?" Jane asked shyly.

"Yes," I replied as I laid my head on her shoulder and deeply inhaled, taking in Jane's scent and relaxing. At that moment everything fit into place, we were home, safe and in love.

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After thirty minutes of simply enjoying each other's company, I glanced at the phone on the wall next to where I was sitting before moving slightly so I could look up at Jane and said. "I really should phone Elizabeth, if she wants to visit this afternoon would you be agreeable?"

"Yeah, I have a feeling she would keep it fairly informal in our quarters." Jane glanced at me nervously chewing the inside of her lip. "It would be nice to invite her over as a friend and not a therapist."

I patted Jane's knee. "I agree, but after everything that has happened maybe not today? Soon though."

"Yeah okay, but before you phone her, let me get your pain medication," Jane stood up and looked around. "Where will I find it?"

"In the bathroom cupboard," I said. "A small brown bottle with white pills in, just bring me two. And there are some glasses in there that you can use for water."

Jane made her way into the bathroom, and her voice sounded slightly muffled as she said. "I really thought after yesterday I would be bad again today, and while it was hard this morning spending time with Cameron and Blackie really helped." She poked her head around the door and smirked. "And don't think I didn't recognize your crafty manoeuvring there Dr Isles," her head disappeared again and I heard the water splashing into something, I assumed a glass from the noise it made.

"I have no idea what you mean," I retorted with a slight smile just as Jane remerged with pills in one hand and a glass of water in the other.

"Making sure I went out alone with Cameron." Jane handed me the pills as she spoke, which I gratefully took and put into my mouth before reaching for the water to wash them down.

One I had taken the pills I conceded. "Oh that."

"Yes that," taking the glass Jane returned it to the bathroom before coming to sit back down. Holding my hand, Jane studied the way our fingers interlaced, then reached across with her free hand to randomly gently trace the ridges and contours. I quietly named the relevant parts as she passed over them. "Lunate bone, Distal phalanges, Collatreal ligaments, Triquetrum bone, Dorsal carpometacarpal ligament, base of the carpal radial muscle. Carpometacarpal which is also known as the basilar joint, Metacarpel bone."

Jane stilled her movements and said. "I love that you can name things like that, and do it with such reverence," she smiled at me. "As much as I could stay here forever I think it's time to phone Elizabeth."

Gently I extracted my hand and smiled back. "Alright," reaching for the phone it didn't take me long to get hold of the other Doctor. After some consideration she agreed it might do Jane good to be out of the infirmary, but still wanted to keep her afternoon session and agreed to meet in our quarters in thirty minutes.

Replacing the phone I turned to Jane and said. "It feels so nice to think of here as our quarters."

Jane pulled me back into an embrace, both of us relaxing into the cushions. "It does doesn't it," she agreed with a contented sigh.

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Elizabeth's visit went well, she was pleased to see Jane had not had too much of a setback after all that had happened the previous day, although she was quick to warn Jane still had a little way to go before she was on as emotionally stable keel as possible. Thinking it was a good idea to keep Cameron away for at least one night to see how Jane slept, she told us to just enjoy the rest of the day and relax. For once Jane's natural energetic traits stilled and she happily sat down and we cuddled up together.

My leg started to ache again, and so Jane insisted I rest in bed with a pillow supporting my knee. When I queried why I needed to take such drastic action when lying of the sofa in a similar position would have achieved the same result, Jane confided that she wanted to take the chance to test our new bed. Smiling I got up, reached for her hand and let her lead me into the main bedroom.

Reaching the bed Jane pulled down the comforter and helped me lie down comfortably, and then she took off her shoes and joined me. Taking a deep sigh, she rolled over so she could look at me easily and reaching to take a hand she said. "When I'm with you like this I always manage to relax. It's been like that from the moment you invited me in your home after Hoyt's apprentice made his appearance. I still don't know what led me to your door that night, because until then I'd never felt safe enough to trust anybody else. You changed that for me and I've never been so grateful that you welcomed me into your home, your life and now your heart."

Turning so I could convey all the emotion I felt at that moment I said tenderly. "Jane, you have a wondrous strength. Yet, somehow, it is tempered with a soft vulnerability. How could I not fall in love with that, with you? You truly are an amazing human being."

She smiled back at me and in an equally sensitive tone said. "I happen to think you're an amazing human being as well."

Leaning in for a kiss, we savoured the moment as tongues and lips gently grazed against each other. Jane pulled away and as she did so I felt my bottom lip be slowly pulled through Jane's lips setting off an emotional overload the likes of which I had never felt before. It was sensual, affirming, relaxed yet erotic all at the same time.

With my eyes still closed, I could feel Jane's breath ghosting against my neck, before her forehead rested against my own and all I managed to say was a breathless. "Wow."

Chuckling lightly Jane said. "Wow indeed, I've never felt anything like that before. If this carries on I don't think I'll have any problems sleeping soundly tonight."

Cherishing every sensation I opened my eyes and gave Jane a languid smile. "Hmm, that sounds wonderful." Snuggling back down we enjoyed the rest of the evening, only moving to eat and say good night to Angela and Cameron. Deciding to have an early night, I wrapped my leg so my sutures would stay dry and took a shower. Jane followed and once we'd changed into sleepwear, we found sleep came easily for us both that night.

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Angela brought us breakfast, normally when I was staying in my rooms I would have either eaten in the kitchen cafe, or taken some food back to my quarters. However, with my injury Angela insisted on carrying on the routine we had established during Jane's stay in the infirmary.

"So how did you girls sleep?" She asked as she set down the pancakes and weekly ration of orange juice. Smiling cheekily at her daughter she added with a saucy wiggle of her eyebrows. "Did you get to christen the bed in style?"

"Oh dear God Ma! First yesterday, and now this, can't you just drop it for a while?" Poor Jane was looking so exasperated I feared she really would take her Mother too seriously and all the relaxation that had happened overnight would be undermined. Luckily Angela must have sensed she was pushing her luck as she said. "Sorry," and turned her attention back to me. "Spoke to Vince this morning and they're still no further forward on finding the attack ringleader, saboteur, whatever they are. Sean won't release the lockdown order until…"

Everything seemed to freeze when Angela realized what she'd said, and she didn't even try to correct herself instead just shot a worried look at her daughter.

Jane's eyes were glacial, and every muscle tensed as she ground out between impossibly clenched teeth. "Saboteur… Do … You… Mean… To… Tell… Me… Maura… Was… Injured… Because… Of… A… Fucking… Saboteur?"

"Oh crap," Angela whispered, staring at me when she saw Jane turn her tirade my direction.

"And you knew, but didn't tell me?" Jane's tone was so filled with fury, as much as I tried not to cringe under her glare I couldn't help a frisson of alarm rush through me. If I thought Jane had a murderous look on her face yesterday, it held nothing to how she looked in that moment. A part of me instinctively knew neither Angela nor I were in any danger from that anger, but I was seriously concerned that the former homicide Detective could become homicidal.

Before Angela or I could act Jane stormed out of our quarters. The doors of the bunker were designed to withstand a nuclear blast, but Jane still managed to rattle the frame such was the force with which she slammed the door behind her. Inwardly cursing my leg, knowing I had no way of catching up with the taller woman, I grabbed the phone and rang the security office. Vince Korsak answered. "Thank God," I breathed. "Jane found out about the saboteur, she's out for blood and might be heading your way. Can you and Barry go looking for her? Call me as soon as you have any news."

I knew it was unfair to put them in the firing line like that, but I couldn't think of any other option. I was vaguely aware of Vince agreeing to my request before I rang off and redialled the number to Elizabeth's office. The older woman Doctor answered straight away, and as soon as I explained what had happened she agreed to help Vince and Barry find Jane.

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	14. Chapter 14: Pressure Cooker

**A/N: Sorry to leave you hanging at the end of the last chapter, so a slightly quicker turnaround this time for you. And I might just try for the 'Queen of Cliffhangers' title as one reviewer put it, although it won't be as bad as the last one .. Another busy three weeks for me coming up, but I'll post as and when I can. Please bear with me though.**

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**Thanks again for the reviews, follows etc, and for ssa-rtune for the beta read. As before all and any mistakes are mine and mine alone.**

**In this chapter we start to build towards Jane doing what she does best, being a Detective.**

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Chapter 14: Pressure Cooker.

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Not accustomed to nervous behaviour, unlike Jane who would often stride around a room, or if she was sitting would bounce her knee when stressed, it came as some surprise to find I wanted to pace nervously while Angela and I waited for news. It took all of my meditative knowledge from yoga to keep me focused, as pacing would not have helped my leg recover from its injury.

After a few minutes Angela had felt the need to do something. And so she left the room to make sure there was an electric buggy available to use once we had news, knowing it would be the quickest way to get around the bunker when I couldn't physically run.

Barry wasn't long in getting back to me, the ringing of the phone sounding loudly within the stillness of the room. He'd used the internal cameras to track Jane, and much to my surprise the former Detective had made her way to the infirmary. Vince was already on the way, as was Elizabeth because Barry, bless him, had the foresight to phone the other Doctor.

Making my way from our quarters I got outside the door to find Angela had just arrived with the buggy.

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With some trepidation we were soon at the infirmary, and I was able to hear Jane's voice loudly echoing around the concrete corridor long before we could see her. Leaving Angela to park I made my way as fast as I could towards the confrontation. Entering the main treatment area I could see Jane had Crowe, of all people, pinned against the back wall. Luckily he appeared unharmed although shaken, and thankfully he had decided not to fight back, although he was arguing which didn't appear to be helping matters. To one side stood Barry Frost and Elizabeth Marsden, and on the other stood Vince Korsak. It was Vince who was currently trying to reason with Jane. However, first he pointed to Crowe and said. "And you can shut the Hell up, let me handle this."

Looking taken aback by the lack of sympathy in Vince's voice Crowe wisely did as he was told while Vince turned his attention to his former partner and said in a conciliatory tone. "Come on kid, you know as well as I do you can't just accuse people of a crime without evidence."

"I don't care Korsak, I don't like the guy," for emphasise Jane shook Crowe as she growled. "He's always been one cocky son of a bitch, and I'd put money on him having something to do with this. Why the fuck was Crowe down here anyway?"

Crowe couldn't stay silent for long and retorted. "Because I was due to see Frankie about changing the security settings on the laboratory doors. I always said you were a loose cannon Rizzoli, and you're just proving the point here. What the fuck rattled your cage this time, somebody take a pop at your precious M.E?"

Before anybody could react Jane had drawn back a fist and hit Crowe squarely in the face, everybody cringing when they heard the audible crunch of bone as the man's nose was fractured.

"Jane Clementine Rizzoli," was suddenly barked from the doorway as Angela entered. "I don't care what he may or may not have done you release him right now ya hear!"

Ignoring the blood that was now pouring from Crowes nose Jane didn't even turn around as she replied in an icy tone. "Not this time Ma."

Vince threw up his hands and growled in frustration. "Of all the stubborn, bullheaded woman I have ever known, and God I've known a few over the years, you must be the worst."

Making my way to Jane's side I backed up Vince. "Honey, Crowe isn't responsible."

Finally dragging her eyes away from the other man Jane asked, her tone still unyielding. "How can you be so damned sure Maur? He's always wanted to get one over us."

"While that may have been the case in Boston, you have to remember a lot has changed Jane," gesturing to Crowe I added. "And Crowe here was luckily enough to have a few close family members survive the virus, and that can mellow a person. Indeed, he and Frankie work out together and have even forged a good friendship this last year."

With disbelief on her face Jane turned her full attention to me. "You've got to be shitting me, Frankie and fucking Crowe?" I found myself looking in disproval at Jane's language, I knew these days I didn't worry about it so much, but I did find I had moments when I wished it wasn't banded around quite so liberally.

Crowe wriggled his way from Jane's grip as she relaxed her hands slightly. "That's right Rizzoli and if you hadn't gone off half-cocked you'd have realized that was what I trying to get through that thick skull of yours."

Needled Jane went to respond but was stopped the moment I rested a hand on her arm. Then I moved so I was standing in front of Crowe and directed him to sit a rolling stool, I handed him a gauze pad for the blood as I pulled on some gloves so I could reset his nose. Luckily no major damage had occurred although there were distinct signs of crepitus. Not realizing I had been muttering Crowe looked at me quizzically, and when I worked out what had confused him I explained. "Crepitus is the crunching or crackling sound when I touch your nose." Crowe nodded his understanding before he mumbled his apology at the way in which he had referred to me during the altercation with Jane. I assured him it was obviously said in the heat of the moment and as far I was concerned was already forgotten. He looked relieved at my words as he garbled out his thanks from under the gauze.

Handing Crowe a cool pack from the refrigerator situated in the infirmary I gave him a few last care instructions. As he walked out of the room Jane continued to glower in his direction. Understanding Jane was still angry with the whole situation I said nothing more as I tidied up the mess that had been made.

While I was occupied doing that Elizabeth grabbed another cool pack for Jane's hand before stepping up to her side. Now the tall woman was no longer resisting Elizabeth led her through into the privacy of the neighboring room. Once I was sure there was nothing left for me to do I turned to find the others all looking at me expectantly. I sighed, and anticipating their question said. "I think it's best if you all leave so Elizabeth can have a chance to talk to Jane. I suspect she's going to stay angry at me for a while. But thank you for your help."

The two former Detectives' glanced at each other nervously before Vince asked. "What about the investigation Doc, do we let Jane get involved?"

"I honestly have no idea Vince, you know as well as I do that now Jane is aware of the situation it will be very difficult to try and prevent her from working with you on this. However, I'm not sure she's healed enough to put herself under that sort of pressure. In order to make that kind of decision I will have to defer to Elizabeth because she has more expertise in these matters."

Still looking apprehensive the other three nodded and left me to my own thoughts.

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Jane was with Elizabeth for over an hour, so I spent the time logged in to the available infirmary computer and caught up on some council work. When the two women emerged from the room Jane wouldn't even look at me as she snarled. "I trusted you Maura, leave me the Hell alone," before she stalked out.

Moving to follow I was stopped by Elizabeth. "Jane will be alright for now but I need to talk to you."

Gesturing for me to enter the vacant room I could tell that this was going to be a hard talk. Silently I nodded and made my way to sit at the chair which Jane had vacated only a few minutes previously.

Elizabeth entered and sat in the other chair on the opposite wall, and making herself comfortable gave a sigh before she said. "I'm afraid Jane is making you the bad guy in all this for not telling her what was going on, and for siding with Crowe. I'm hopeful that spending time working with the punch bag will relieve some of the tension but I feel I should warn you that Jane is likely to withdraw from you completely for a while. She's already requested a room in the infirmary if there isn't one free in the main living quarters."

Looking at the expression on the other woman's face I knew that Elizabeth had agreed to Jane's request. Although I knew with the complex PTSD that this was possible, so much time had passed since Jane's return I had been hopeful that it wouldn't become an issue. Now it had happened I couldn't help the emotional anguish at the thought of Jane cutting me out of her life. The anger towards me I had anticipated, but not the exclusion. It occurred to me how much I had started to depend on the other woman's presence at my side. Quickly the emotional walls that I had erected the year before slammed back into place and I pushed all the suffering and anguish I felt aside refusing to show how much I was hurting. Aloud all I said was. "We knew this could happen."

Elizabeth looked upset by my answer. "Maura, it's alright to feel troubled over this."

"I'm fine." I insisted, not prepared to be dragged into any kind of emotional discussion. "Jane is your patient, so I know she's in good hands." I stood and motioned to the door. "Is there anything else?"

Sadly Elizabeth shook her head, and not giving her chance to see me out I left the room and made my way back towards my quarters.

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Because my living quarters were one of the original state rooms it was possible to lock my door to the rest of the bunker. It was something that I had never utilized before today, but on my way back I had called into the security office to let them know I would be unavailable for the time being. When I'd entered I'd discovered Angela was also present, and was watching Jane on the security monitors as she worked out her anger on the newly acquired punch bag. When Angela realized it was me she immediately bombarded me with questions to which I had no answers. All I could recommend was that she talk to Elizabeth, and asked that Cameron stayed with the older Rizzoli for the foreseeable future. Looking confused at my lacklustre demeanour Angela agreed to my request before turning a sad gaze back to her daughter. I couldn't face watching Jane in such an impersonal manner, so I left Angela to take comfort from Vince who was standing protectively by the other woman.

Jo and Bass were both in the living area when I locked out the rest of New Boston. Jo looked behind me as if hoping Jane would follow, and when it was obvious I was on my own the dog whined, and with her tail tucked down slunk into Cameron's room.

"I know Jo, I know," I whispered to the retreating form, all too aware of the dispirited feeling the dog was displaying.

With a heavy heart I made my way into my room, and not even bothering to remove my footwear -painfully reminded of the time I had teased Jane about the very same thing - I slumped onto the bed and wept until I fell asleep.

Unsure how much time had passed, I slowly awoke feeling disoriented and unable to think coherently. My nose felt stuffy, and it brought to mind the quote by Isaac Sterne, 'a confused puddingheaded, muddleheaded fellow.'

Eventually my head cleared and all I could think about was the increase of emotional pressure on Jane and here I was helpless to act. I could only hope that Elizabeth would be able to give Jane and her family the aid they required at this time.

Shuffling my way into the living area, running my hands through my dishevelled hair I found Jo was waiting to be taken for the usual afternoon walk through the bunker. Not wanting to be seen by anybody in this state, I thought about who I could ask to take Jo. Remembering that all the members of Tommy's group were still here I phoned Kathleen and asked if she could take the little dog for the duration, pleased when she immediately agreed. Any of the Rizzoli's would have taken Jo, but I did not feel up to facing them. If Jo was with Kathleen then at least it gave Jane the option to visit her dog without having to face me. As it was I would need to at least see Angela when I went for some food later on, which was something I was dreading. Trusting Kathleen not to question me when she arrived I made sure all the dogs bowls and toys were in one place before unlocking the door. Five minutes later I was patting the little dog goodbye and thanking Kathleen for her help. Now all I had to do was work out was how I could put my emotions aside and deal with the rest of the Rizzoli clan and Cameron.

I sat on the sofa, running through the memories from the time I had spent there with Jane and found myself crying once more. This estrangement was breaking my heart, and I felt like I was grieving for Jane a second time. The first time had been when she was lost to the virus, and now from her isolation and withdrawal, causing such a disruption in our relationship. I could only hope it wasn't ruptured beyond repair.

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Knocking on my door drew my attention to the time and I realized it was late and I'd missed the evening meal being served at the café. Opening the door expecting Angela to be the other side I was surprised to see Elizabeth standing there with a covered tray. Without saying anything she gently pushed her way in and set the tray down on the table, and removing the lid I could see there were two plates and utensils. Setting the table, Elizabeth sat by one plate and just as I was about speak she nodded towards the door. Belatedly I realized it was still open, so I closed it and joined the other Doctor at the table. "Good," she said. "We need to talk, but first you need nourishment." Recognising that I wasn't expected to reply I joined Elizabeth in eating our evening repast.

Because New Boston was on lockdown food was currently rationed slightly more than it would be normally. Despite the current limitations the chefs in the kitchen still managed to produce an appetizing meal of chicken, salad, fresh basil and sundried tomato bread with meringue to follow. Throughout my life I had been subjected to high dining, and while this fare was simpler it was equal in taste to any Michelin Star restaurant that I had frequented in the past. Because of the balance of taste and nutrition I was able to close my eyes and imagine for a fleeting moment that the world was as it had been before the virus. However, I knew the illusion couldn't last so with a sigh I opened my eyes and focused on helping Elizabeth clear up from our meal before offering the other woman a seat on the sofa. If I was being forced to talk then at the very least I was going to do it in relative comfort.

Settling into the cushions I let Elizabeth lead the conversation. "You know I'm going to tell you you're being too hard on yourself."

Nodding my assent I had a feeling where this was going.

"Jane loves you, she's lashing out at your relationship because subconsciously she knows you're both strong enough to survive the upheaval, and right now she needs to direct her anger at somebody. You're that somebody. This is as much to do with the PTSD as anything else. Jane had a sense of helplessness and guilt after you were hurt. Then to find out you held back information on who might have orchestrated the attack means she now is trying to work out if she can trust you or not. There was not a perpetrator as such for the virus, but there has been one for the attack, and she needs to feel as though she is keeping you safe, and we've denied her that opportunity. I know you made the decision not to tell Jane, but don't take the blame. You made that choice under my advisement, and I made sure Jane knows that."

"Is she forcing anybody else away?" I interrupted. Worried that Jane would be isolating herself too much.

Elizabeth smiled reassuringly. "No, she's talking to me, and letting Cameron and her Mother visit. Remember this is not about blame so much about whom she can safely push away knowing they will still be there whenever she needs them."

"Oh thank God," I said, letting out a gush of air from the breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

"Yes, and in light of Jane's knowledge I've recommended she help Vince and Barry on the investigation. However, I have made it clear she is _not_ to emotionally push herself unless there is an emergency. Part of the agreement was that she would see me afterwards for at least an hour a day, and then she would spend time working out her anger and frustration with me present. She will be brought into the investigation tomorrow morning."

"May I see her?" Going against everything I knew as a Doctor my emotions overruled my logical, analytical and objective side. I realized I was desperate to see Jane with my own eyes and make sure she was alright.

"You may, but with me present, and only if Jane is agreeable. I would suggest my office in a couple of days."

Nodding I asked. "Have you heard from Vince and Barry regarding the latest on the investigation?"

"I spoke to Vince this evening, he asked me to tell you that they had no new leads, but Barry was working on something that they hoped might help. He also wanted to see you at some point to go over what you observed on your journey back to the shelter."

"Jane won't be there will she? Only I don't want to disrupt her progress."

"No," I could see Elizabeth was pleased that I was finally starting to realize this truly was going to be a temporary situation and once Jane was ready I knew we could start to rebuild our relationship. "Vince asked that you go in tomorrow afternoon at two, Jane will be with me."

I paused, knowing that Elizabeth had come to see me as much as a friend as a therapist this evening, and I was grateful. "Thank you." For a person of many words, there didn't seem any point in saying any more. That single term covered all I wished to convey at that moment.

Elizabeth smiled as she understood I was thanking her professionally and personally. Getting up she gestured for me to stay sitting. "No, you rest your injury I'll see myself out. Unless there is any change I'll see you in a couple of days, I'll phone to confirm the time, but I expect it will be during Jane's normal session hours."

Watching as the door slowly swung shut and clicked into place I found myself reflecting on how I had reacted to the whole mess so far. It made me realize I hadn't really spoken to Jane about how losing her last year had hurt me. Yes, we'd talked about it as a whole, and Jane knew I loved her without condition, but I think Jane maybe didn't realize how bad the depth of my anguish at being separated from her had been. If she was ready in two days' time I vowed I would tell her how much I needed her at my side. It was time to acknowledge I needed her support as much as she needed mine.

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Much to my surprise I had slept well, and now I was nervously waiting for the time to pass so I could go and see Vince and Barry about what was happening in the investigation. In the end I couldn't stand the thought of not doing anything so I brought out my laptop from the filing cabinet in the corner of the main room and took the chance to log onto the council section of the internal server and see what reports had been logged from the departmental heads over the recent attack. I had no idea what knowledge I hoped to glean given that Vince and Barry would have already looked at the reports for any pertinent information, but I felt I the need to try something.

A frustrated half an hour later, I shut the computer and frowned, there was nothing there that gave any indication that the ringleader had changed their reporting style. I'd hope any change, however small, might have been an indicator of stress or a downgrading of an emotional state. Graham's report was short and concise, his usual style. Elizabeth had focused on the emotional wellbeing of New Boston as a whole which I'd expected. I had skipped Angela and Sean's report for obvious reasons. And that left me with four other department heads. The head of the hydroponics bays and external food sourcing was Malcolm, who was a brash man but with a kind heart. Susan, our head of animal welfare and husbandry, was a talented, intelligent woman, and her reports reflected this. The two remaining heads were Christine who was in charge of children's welfare, education and family welfare. Formally she had been a dedicated paediatrics nurse, and had a natural talent towards helping children and families. Finally I was left with Bruce, an older distinguished gentleman who had run a successful construction business in New York, and was now in charge of the maintenance and general goods procurement for New Boston. All departments had their own sections, and the reports from their section heads were also included, but again nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Still uneasy I looked at the time and realized it was close to 2pm.

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Thoughtfully somebody, I suspected Angela, had left a buggy outside my quarters for my use. Thankful I didn't have to walk far it only took a few minutes to reach my destination, and as soon as I limped into the security office with my crutches Barry had a chair ready at the table we'd used before. Although this time it was not a hard plastic one, but a leather office chair which I had to admit was far more agreeable.

Taking their places beside me Barry and Vince both pulled over a legal pad from the stack of papers in front of us. Vince was the first to speak. "Sorry about this Doc, but even here there has to be paperwork, although I doubt you'll be able to add anything new."

"Have you spoken to Jane yet?" I was curious to know how she was doing.

"Yep, and she even had time to go over some of Sean's preliminary security reports with us, but couldn't see anything obvious, she's as frustrated as we are."

"Are we stymied on the investigation? Only Elizabeth called in last night and said Barry was working on something."

When I said his name Barry sprang forward in his seat and reached for a computer printout. "I don't have anything yet, but I'm running a tracer programme. With luck our saboteur left a mark, or might try something else. If that's the case I hope this will be good enough to pick it up."

I sighed. "Why do I sense a 'but' at the end of that sentence Barry?"

"But if they've had any kind of specialist computer training they could be a lot better at this than I am," he conceded.

"It's not all bad Doc," Vince interrupted. "Frankie and Tommy went out the emergency exit this morning on some reconnaissance and there were no signs of the attackers. We don't think they are trying to fool us into thinking they've withdrawn, if what Jane said is true then they were lacking leadership and most likely have broken up into smaller factions and drifted away."

"That was our observation making our way back," I agreed. "However, that still leaves the internal threat."

Vince nodded. "Regardless we would have kept the lockdown in place for a little while longer to be on the safe side, but we really need to try and find out who this is before too many questions get asked."

"So what do you need to know?" And I prepared myself for the de-briefing.

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As we'd suspected I was unable to add much to Jane's statement, and it didn't take long to compare the two and see if anything new could be garnered. I told Barry and Vince that I had checked the departmental reports and could find nothing of interest. Vince admitted he and Jane had gone over the same ground that morning for the reasons I had, and their hunt proved equally unsuccessful. When I enquired after Jane's demeanour I was informed that she was focused on the task, but seemed less rigid and unyielding than she had been the previous day. Hopeful that I would get to see the other woman the following afternoon I thanked the men and made my way to the quarters.

When I arrived Angela was standing outside the door awaiting my return. Turning her head when she heard the buggy approach she greeted me with a smile.

Returning the smile as I alighted, I was genuinely pleased to see Jane's Mother. "Why on earth are you waiting out here? You're more than welcome to go inside." Angela was renowned for still making her way inside my quarters unannounced, much like she had done at my home whilst living in my guest house and so I was surprised by her reticence.

Waving a hand she replied breezily. "I know, but somehow it didn't feel right ya know?"

Shaking my head lightly I said, "I'm sorry Angela, I don't know."

I led the way inside and we made our way over to the sofa and sat down, making ourselves comfortable as Angela looked slightly surprised. "Oh, well …" she trailed off as she thought about what she meant. "I guess I just wanted to make sure you were up to company after everything that happened yesterday, but I didn't want to barge in."

With a chuckle I replied. "That's not your usual style is it?"

Joining in with my light laughter Angela said. "No, I guess not. And on the subject of yesterday, how are you doing sweetie?"

Taking comfort from the other woman's presence I glanced down at our hands as Angela reached out to grasp mine reassuringly. "I will admit I was feeling fairly sorry for myself until Elizabeth came over and talked to me. Reminded me that Jane loves me and she's only shutting me out because she needs somebody to blame, and subconsciously Jane chose me because she knew we were strong enough to weather the storm." I paused for a moment before adding in a much lower tone. "But I still miss her … badly."

"She misses you too sweetie," Angela promised me. "In fact she came to see me a little while back and asked if I could get you to see her before tomorrow. If I had to make a guess based on a Mother's intuition, that daughter of mine thinks you'll be angry about the way she reacted and won't want to see her."

"Of course I want to see her." I exclaimed. "Oh, that woman can be so dense and irksome at times."

"Stubborn she gets from my side I'm afraid." Angela stood, picked up the phone handset and gave it to me. "She's in my quarters, you know the number." And with a quick kiss to my cheek she left me alone to call the woman I loved.

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It was a contrite looking person that I opened the door to not fifteen minutes later. Unable to get Jane to look me in the eyes I shook my head exasperated and grabbing a sleeve I unceremoniously pulled her inside. "Oh for goodness sake, don't dilly-dally, get in here!"

That got the taller woman's attention. "Did you just tell me not to dilly-dally? I mean really, who still uses words like that?"

"People like me, now sit down so I can get comfortable."

As she sat Jane rolled her eyes and mumbled. "I was totally wrong, you'd so be the guy, talk about bossy."

Fighting the smile that wanted to break free at Jane's words I sat next to her then gently gripped her chin so I could turn her gaze to meet mine. Once I had Jane's full attention I slowly and deliberately said. "I love you, utterly and unconditionally, and it hurts more than I can say to be apart from you for any length of time." Jane looked shocked at my words, but I wasn't going to mess around with meaningless platitudes. Judging from the mist that formed in Jane's eyes I think she needed to hear the words as much as I needed to say them.

Instantly the taller woman relaxed and said. "I love you too, God knows what I did to deserve you, but I'm so glad you love me."

Pulling Jane into a light hug I knew no words were needed for the moment and we just enjoyed the shared warmth.

It wasn't instant, the return to our previously happy domestic bliss, as much as you could have domestic bliss in an old nuclear bunker given the external circumstances. However, considering all we had been through it was close. Jane tried more than once to apologize, but I insisted it was neither the time nor the place to be dealing with such heady matters and they could wait until our talk with Elizabeth the following day. All I wanted at that moment was the bond of love that flowed between us.

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Gradually I became aware of something, and I moved to glance at Jane. However it didn't seem as though the dark haired woman had noticed anything other than my movement and she looked at me with a puzzled expression on her face before she asked. "What's wrong Maura? You've got a look that I can only describe as worry."

"I'm not sure," I admitted. "What can you hear?"

Jane listened for a moment and still looked puzzled by my comment. "I don't hear anything."

Shifting so I was ready to stand up I said. "Exactly, you probably aren't as used to the sounds of the bunker, but the hum has gone."

That piqued Jane's interest. "Hum, what hum?" She queried.

I knew my face was showing the disquiet that I felt. "The air scrubbers, Jane, they have a triple back up system, they should never be down."

"Crap," she shot to her feet. "Are you thinking the saboteur has struck again?"

Nodding I reached for the phone just as its shrill tone pierced the air. Jane grabbed the handset and barked into the mouthpiece. "Rizzoli," then a pause as she listened to the person at the other end, her face turning darker by the second. Slamming the phone back into place she turned to me and said. "That was Cavanaugh, you were right. Somebody has rigged the air scrubbers to fail. The head engineer is working on it. We need to get to the security office. I swear Maur, when we get hold of this guy I'm going to swing for him!

Before I could formulate an answer Jane was out of the room and had dropped into the driver's seat of the buggy ready to take us down the corridor.

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	15. Chapter 15:The Plot Thickens

**Authors note: Well, gosh darn it. I'm so sorry real life got in the way of an update. That said it did mean I came back to the story fresh, which I think has helped my writing a little bit. Hopefully I'll have a bit more time the next few weeks to carry on with this. **

******Sorry, this hasn't been Beta read, so all mistakes are mine and mine alone.**

**Thanks for sticking with it. I hope you enjoy the following chapter.**

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Chapter 15: The Plot Thickens.

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We entered the security office to find Sean Cavanaugh directing operations with Barry Frost hunched over a laptop muttering angrily under his breath. Only a few seconds behind our arrival was Vince Korsak, but Jane was the first to ask. "What the Hell happened?" She didn't break stride until she reached her former Lieutenants side.

Taking a moment to finish giving orders to somebody on the internal security radio system Sean didn't linger with his answer. "I wish I knew, whoever this is managed to disable the scrubbers directly, Bruce is mending that damage. Worse, they hacked into the command structure database and disabled the back-up commands."

Jane glanced behind her, eyebrows raised when she heard a particularly loud 'fuck' emanating from that direction. "Well, that explains Frost's language." She said drolly.

Calculating the length of time available before the situation would require us to open up the entrances to provide fresh air I asked. "How long will the scrubbers be down? Do we run the risk of dangerous levels of carbon dioxide building up?" Had it just been people inside the structure we would have had plenty of time to play with. However, with the larger animals involved as well that time was going to be drastically reduced, even allowing for the plants in the hydroponics bays helping to convert some of the carbon dioxide back to oxygen.

"It could be close," Sean admitted. "Thank God Bruce was near to the area when it happened so he got right on the repair job, but until he knew exactly what the problem was he wasn't totally confident of finishing before we have to make that decision. I haven't had a chance to get any further updates."

"I wonder why he was so close to the right room. How much can we trust this guy?" Jane pondered aloud.

Vince had moved over to the security camera displays. "Ahead of you Jane," he set the monitor to watch the recorded footage around the room containing the air scrubbers, and we turned our attention to what was playing to see if we could find anything suspicious. Making my way over to the one free desk I sat down, with Jane coming over to lean the back of her thighs on the edge of its wooden top, her eyes intense as she watched the scenes unfolding.

Suddenly Jane's eyes narrowed and she lent forward slightly. "Back it up a minute."

Vince looked down at the controls and did what Jane requested. "What do you see?" He asked.

"I'm not sure," the dark haired woman stood up fully and squinted at the screen before pointing at the corner of the image. "There, a shadow against a doorway."

Hitting pause Vince and I got up to Join Jane, and indeed there was a shadowy figure in the bottom right hand corner of the recording. Unfortunately whoever it was obviously had knowledge of the cameras position and there was no way of making out any detail. One thing I could immediately tell was that it wasn't Bruce. He was very broad from years of working construction, as well as being tall at a little over six foot three inches high, and I surmised by the outline presented against the doorway that this person was of average height and build. Judging from Vince's slumped shoulders he'd reached the same conclusion.

"It's not him Jane," the older man said. "When you meet Bruce you'll understand."

"Crap, I thought for a moment we might have something," Jane turned her attention to me. "I'm guessing nobody knows this place as well as you do, can you take me to the room that was attacked? I want to see the damage first-hand, and we can get an update off Bruce while we're there."

I nodded as Jane then spoke to Vince. "See if you can help Frost, if not, carry on looking at the security footage. I'll radio in if we find out anything more."

Grabbing a portable radio off the rack, Jane keyed the microphone and tested the equipment before we headed back out of the room. However, just as we were about to exit Sean called us back in and wordlessly handed Jane a police issue firearm, similar to the one Barry had provided us with during the initial attack. They both glanced at me briefly, and I knew the weapon would not leave Jane until this was over. Jane strapped the gun to her side and we left.

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Opening the door to the maintenance room Bruce was currently working in I was keenly aware of the smell of grease and oil which permeated the air. Jane was behind me and when she saw Bruce kneeling down by some of the internal pipework she lent forward to whisper in my ear. "Yeah, see what you mean, that guy could have been an NFL linebacker! No way was that him."

Suppressing the shiver that the warm breath against my ear had invoked, I smiled at Jane's assessment. Bruce heard us enter and looked over his shoulder to greet us. "Hey Doc, sorry, I'm not going to stop work."

"That's fine, you're on a timetable here," I agreed. "What can you tell us?"

Shaking his head, Bruce's short cropped silver gray hair reflected the overhanging artificial light as he replied. "This was clever in its simplicity. Take out a return valve, disable the back-up commands and hey presto. One thing this bastard didn't bank on was me being nearby with my buggy, which luckily had the right valve on board."

Hearing the anger in the older man's voice I was heartened to know he appeared as upset by the situation as we were.

"Are these doors ever locked?" Jane asked as we moved further into the room.

"Nah, none of these maintenance rooms have locks. Being self-contained internal stuff we never saw the need to retrofit them when we were living here the whole time and with resources being so scarce. Guess we'll have to rethink that decision." There was a clunking sound as the wrench Bruce was using scrapped against the metal pipe. "You must be Jane Rizzoli?" He asked without preamble.

"Yeah."

"I would shake your hand in greeting but …"

"You have more important things to be doing," Jane supplied, and I could see the admiration for the man cross Jane's face as she took in his determined demeanour.

"Promise me one thing Rizzoli."

Watching the amusement light up Jane's eyes, I was pleased that she seemingly liked Bruce as much as I did when she replied. "Depends what you're asking old man."

Deep laughter erupted from Bruce. "Oh you're good I'll give you that. Just promise me when you catch this bastard he gets his ass kicked."

Frowning slightly I admonished quietly. "Tsk. You know I don't advocate unnecessary violence Bruce."

"And I never argue with the Doc over things like this," Jane stated smugly.

Turning so I could see Jane fully I raised an eyebrow in challenge.

"Well, sometimes I've been known to voice my option," Jane conceded, albeit with a smirk.

Bruce issued a deep sigh. "Fair enough, but if I get hold of them before you do I'm not making any promises. What time is it?"

Thrown slightly by the apparent non sequitur I glanced at the wall clock above the door. "Two minutes past six, why?"

"Trying to work out how much time I have left to fix this thing. When I first spoke to Sean I wasn't sure what the exact problem was." Bruce grunted as he wrestled with the valve. "But because I had the right part handy we'll be okay, can you contact Barry Frost and find out if he's ready to restart the system?"

"Sure," Jane reached for the radio and turning away so she could talk unheeded, contacted the security office and got an update. After a minute she turned her attention back to us. "Frost says fifteen minutes. He's just finishing the system purge."

"Perfect," throughout the entire exchange Bruce hadn't broken his concentration, a testament to his skills.

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True to his word Bruce was up on his feet and wiping his hands down twelve minutes later. Grinning in our direction he was finally able to offer his hand to Jane in welcome. "Call that boy of yours and tell him it's his show now. He can fire it up whenever he's ready."

Shaking the proffered limb, Jane smiled and keyed the radio to relay the message.

Bruce looked at me and raised an eyebrow as he said. "Now I know you don't like gossip any more than I do, but from what happened here today I'm going to take a stab in the dark and say the attackers that locked us down have a traitor or traitors inside the shelter?"

"Yes," I sighed, seeing little point in hiding the truth from the older man. "All indications at the moment point to a single traitor."

"Hmm," he supplied thoughtfully. "Figures, if it's only one person then I guess that's something to be grateful for. I thought that attack was a bit too coordinated, and it means one of the department heads had to be in on it somehow, cos we're the only ones that knew the blackout was happening." Seeing the concern on my face he added. "Don't worry Doc, I won't tell anyone, last thing we need is panic and distrust running rife, but I hate that somebody felt the need to do this. It'll be doubly worse if a DH is the traitor. We've worked so hard with them this last year to set up the shelter and I thought they were all friends." He shook his head sadly. "I only hope if a DH is involved it was an unintentional leak of information on their part."

Jane joined in at that point. "Bruce, Korsak and I think you should come up to the security office and help us go through maintenance areas you can secure which might be vulnerable to attack. In the meantime, Cavanaugh's going to increase security patrols around critical functions." Just then we all heard the hum of the systems' restarting, louder in the room than the rest of New Boston. "And I guess that's our cue to leave."

Bruce grabbed his tools and graciously opened the door for us. After we exited he turned around and made quick work of fitting a lock to the door. Nodding his satisfaction he packed up his tools and got on his buggy. Jane got in the driver's seat of ours, and grinning widely at Bruce said. "Race you?"

"You're on," and without warning they both planted their feet on the gas pedal and we shot off.

Luckily the corridor was fairly clear of people and Jane managed to edge ahead at the last second to screech to a halt outside Sean's office. "Snooze and you lose," she stated smugly.

"Next time you decide to play like children I think I'll give it a miss," I said wryly as I loosened the grip my hands had on the side rail of the seat.

"Aw come on Maur," Jane said as she helped me out of the buggy and handed me my crutches. "Those things can't go that fast."

"Maybe, but within an enclosed space they don't need much speed to do some damage if you crash."

"Spoilsport," Jane teased lightly, then stuck her tongue out me.

I could feel myself copying one of Jane's favourite facial expressions as I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "Mature, very mature."

Smiling at me Jane opened the door and led the way inside, Bruce had been chuckling at our antics, and he followed us in.

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Once inside it became clear that the immediate frantic aftermath had eased, although Barry was still hunched over his computer muttering. Vince had settled in front of the security camera monitors, and it was likely he was trying to track our perpetrator. Finally Sean was fielding phone and radio calls, directing security teams to places of importance. When the men realized we'd entered they briefly stopped what they were doing and waved us over to Barry Frost's desk. He greeted us with a scowl. "Whoever this is has had to have had some kind of serious computer training. They snuck in under the radar. My tracking programme couldn't trace them." The frustration was obvious.

"Damn," Jane's playfulness was instantly replaced by her Detective persona. "Do you guys know of anybody within New Boston with a high enough security clearance who might have been employed in the computer industry before the virus struck?"

All the answers were in the negative, so Jane turned her attention to Vince. "Anything on the cameras?"

He shook his head. "I was able to trace their movements, but they kept in the shadows until they reached the main living quarters section of the corridor. Because there were a lot of people about they just blended right on in there."

"Fuck," Jane began to pace, chewing along the edge of her left thumb as she thought about what they could do next.

Bruce took up the conversation. "I know security is your area of expertise, but I can get locks on the doors of all the maintenance areas within the next twenty four hours. What worries me is locks are something that is not likely to go unnoticed by people. Questions could be asked, what are we going to tell them?"

"Is there anyway of securing the rooms without locks being obvious?" I asked.

Bruce paused for a moment as he thought about the equipment and supplies he had available. "I might be able to put ordinary key locks on doors in areas that attract the most foot traffic. They won't be so noticeable at a glance, and I could use the excuse that a couple of doors needing new latches. The rest? Hmm, those I can only really secure with bolts and padlocks. There could be a couple of keypads I can use, but whatever I do they'll stick out like a Yankee fan at Fenway."

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Sean made his way over. "I might have a good distraction. The early evening reconnaissance of the outside areas was clear, and if the night-time and early morning patrols come up with the same results I suggest we open the auxiliary entrance for limited use as per protocol seven."

Nodding my assent I clarified the rules for Jane's benefit as I could see she was curious about what that meant. "With protocol seven in place each person will have to be logged in and out of the bunker, and will be restricted to the beach area. But it does mean we can get the animals back outside and tend to any remains of the crops we have planted along the beach periphery."

Jane held a contemplative look. "Could we place some people in hidden lookout posts to see if anybody attempts sneaking away to try and regroup the attacking force?"

Sean cocked his head to one side as he contemplated Jane's suggestion. "Yeah, I think we could, there are enough security personnel to cover the inside and outside if we utilise Tommy's group for that particular job. They've become very good at stealth operations.

Jane dropped her head slightly and gave a light sigh. "I'm still having trouble reconciling the new Tommy with the person I knew. Sure, he'd got his life back in order, but there was a maturity that was still lacking. I guess he's done a lot of growing up this last year. If you think he can do it then I trust your judgement. You never set us wrong at the BPD."

"Gee, thanks for your approval of my plan for Tommy," Sean countered dryly. "Not that I really needed it to go ahead."

"Oh shit, sorry Sir…" Automatically Jane started to apologise like she would have done when Sean was her Lieutenant,

Sean cut her off with a wave of his hand. "Relax Rizzoli, I'm yanking your chain. Although there is another issue I wanted to raise now you're all here. Doc, how safe from theft is the antidote?"

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Surprised by the question I wondered if Sean felt there was a specific threat. "As far as I know it is secure in the infirmary." And suddenly the events from yesterday morning made a lot more sense. "That explains why you had Frankie and Crowe change the security settings in the infirmary laboratory?" I exclaimed.

He nodded. "We have a lot riding on that antidote, and I can't help but wonder if the attack was only one part of the plan. It seems too close to us developing the antidote to be a coincidence. I wasn't going to take any chances with it."

Frowning Jane said. "I would have thought people would want the antidote to work, why would they jeopardise that?"

"Lots of reasons," I explained. "Some of the extreme groups out there want to control everything. We've had several run-ins with groups that want to have the antidote used on every person affected by the virus. The main problem being that they wanted to be indiscriminate about how it was distributed and a lot of people would have suffered painful deaths. We made the choice to use the triage principle."

"And what about those people who wouldn't survive using triage?" Jane sounded troubled.

"We felt we had three routes we could go down. One, to humanly destroy those who wouldn't survive triage, two, create secure holding areas, or three, leave victims as they are and continue to fight them as we came across them, almost certainly having to kill them anyway to ensure our own survival."

"Let me guess, as much as you would want to choose the second or third option, practically there is only really one choice."

"Yes. We, as in all the people here in New Boston, voted in a secret ballot, and you're right, the first route was the unanimous winner in the polls. Not a single vote was cast against that choice. It was not something the council was proud of putting forward, but there are limits on our resources. We just couldn't cope with the needs of every single person out there. As it stands, once people are healed they are going to have to set up their own communities, become self-sustaining and not rely on us. If we come across family members of people already living in New Boston, we will offer them housing here until we hit our maximum quota or we'll help the family to be reunited outside of our protection. For everybody else we'll help with ideas and as much practical advice as we can give, but that will be all. Some radical groups think we are doing too much to help, and others don't believe we are doing enough."

"But that's crazy," Jane exploded. "Even in the short time I've been here I can tell you do more than could be reasonably expected."

"That may be Jane," Bruce joined back in with the conversation. "But sadly New Boston has made enemies for that very reason. From the numbers of attackers involved I wouldn't be at all surprised if two opposing groups joined up for the attempted coup. One wanting to take control of the facility for their use and their use only, in exchange they give the antidote to the second lot so they can set it loose without care or consequence. We've heard rumblings about that sort of plan in the past, but until now nothing solid to back up the intelligence reports."

"Reports that only the security and department heads have seen," I added.

"Damn, this gets worse by the minute." Jane growled. "That definitely seems to narrow our list of suspects down to a handful of people."

Barry finally stopped work on his computer and added. "Well, one piece of good news, I've managed to re-secure the computer system. I'm not one hundred percent confident, but hopefully if it gets attacked again I'll at least get some warning this time." He lent back and scrubbed his face with his hands. "I really want to catch this bastard."

Clapping his hand on the younger man's shoulder Sean gestured for us all to sit down and said. "We all do son. Hunker down people. I get the feeling it's going to be a long evening of planning."

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Sure enough the plans for the following day took a while to put into place. We had called Tommy and his group into the meeting, and they immediately agreed to set up observation posts early the next morning, using the emergency exit to move out under the cover of darkness. Jane and I emerged from the security office a little before eleven that night. Jane lingered at the buggy, looking uncertain.

Knowing what was bothering Jane, even though she had yet to say anything I pre-empted her. "The only way you don't get to stay with me tonight, in_ our_ quarters, is if you don't think it's a good idea."

"I really don't deserve you," Jane said as we settled in for the short drive. I smiled back at the other woman, thinking we were both exceedingly lucky.

Kathleen must have dropped Jo off as soon as Tommy's group had left the meeting, because the little dog was there to greet us exuberantly the moment we walked through the door. There was a note on the table informing us that Jo had already had an evening stroll, and thoughtfully Kathleen had also fed Bass his evening meal.

Thankful we didn't have to do anything more than get ready for bed, it didn't take Jane or me long to wash, change into sleep attire, and curl up in bed together.

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Five o'clock that morning came all too early for my liking, as I found myself tired from all the upheaval of the last few days. So that, coupled with waking up in a warm safe cocoon which consisted of Jane meant I was uncharacteristically reluctant to move. In fact it was Jane who emerged from the bed first, and I allowed myself the luxury of dozing.

Finally I had to stir, and as I fully awoke I noticed Jane was watching me from the doorway, casually leaning against the doorjamb, arms and ankles leisurely crossed. There was a trace of a smile on her lips.

"Hey," I said sleepily. "How long have you been there?"

Pushing herself out of the doorway Jane moved further into the room. "Not long, I was enjoying watching you sleep."

"Well that wasn't terribly exciting," a yawn punctuated my sentence. "Surely you had better things to do?"

Her head tilted to one side Jane seemed to consider that for a long moment before she answered. "Nope, can't think of a single thing that I would have preferred more." Leaning over she gave me a wonderfully slow, affirming kiss.

"Hmm, now that's about the best way to wake up in the morning." I conceded.

An eyebrow quirked. "Only about the best way?" Jane put emphasis on the word 'about'. "What's the best way then?"

Suddenly realizing I had accidentally opened up a train of conversation that I wasn't sure Jane, or indeed I was ready for yet I found myself uncharacteristically scrambling for words. Plus, I could feel the blush starting to rise, which of course Jane noticed straight away.

"Well look at that, Doctor Isles for once something has you flustered," she teased lightly as she sat down next to me. "This I've got to hear."

"It's nothing really," I tried to brush the whole thing off, but seeing the look Jane was giving me I knew she wasn't fooled. "Oh alright then," I decided I may as well get my humiliation out of the way, if this particular train had pulled out the station it was better to get the train wreck over and done with. "If you must know, I find making love in the morning my favourite time of day for that particular activity."

Slowly, a smile that can only be described as predatory appeared on Jane's face. And it sent a delicious shiver of anticipation down my spine. Leaning so her lips were against my ear she said in a tone lower than I'd ever heard before. "Really? Now that is something I would love to put to the test, but we've got other things planned for today. Will you take a rain check?"

Unable to suppress the shiver that now ran throughout my whole body, I was only able to nod my acquiescence as I released a low groan. I could feel, as much as hear the rumble of laughter from Jane when she realized the affect the words were having on me. Taking pity, she lightly kissed the shell of my ear, before rising from the bed and mercifully changed the subject. "Ma brought us breakfast, I phoned and told her the plans for today, and she agreed it might look irregular if the dining area was opened up too early, she's taken more food to her quarters where Tommy and his gang will eat."

Grateful we were on safer ground, at least as far as my libido was concerned, I nodded then sat up and raked my hands through my hair to clear away the worst of the tangles. Slowly the knowledge of what we had planned the night before started to encroach into my good mood.

"Promise me you'll stick to the plan?" I asked quietly. Typically Jane had insisted she was part of Tommy's security detail, and the conversation we'd had on the subject was still all too clear in my mind.

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'"_You're not going out there, I don't want you anywhere near the damned beach!" Jane was emphatic, and I was worried by the hardening expression on her face when she spoke. "You've already been hurt once and I'm not prepared for it to happen again."_

_Desperately I tried to reason with her. "Jane, you can't wrap me up in cotton wool. We live in different times now and we have to accept that we can't save everybody from being hurt, or prevent injuries. We're luckier than most because we have a fairly safe haven, however it's not infallible."_

"_Dammit, I don't care," she growled. "It's my job to keep you as safe as possible and that's what I'm going to do."_

"_Please," I reasoned. "Be sensible. Remember what Elizabeth has told you..."_

"_Don't you dare tell me to be sensible," Jane started to interrupt angrily before she realized how upset I was. Immediately her demeanor changed and she softened her tone and look. "Maura, I love you, but I have to do this," she argued gently._

"_I know, and I'm not going to stop you. I just want you to be careful," I felt close to tears, the strain of the last few weeks starting to catch with me._

_Drawing me into a hug I felt the taller woman's breath against my neck as she murmured. "I've got a lot to lose if I'm not careful, but equally I want you to be safe as well."_

"_How about a compromise, I'll wait for you inside, say in the security office, and you'll observe. No heroics from either of us."_

"_Agreed."_

"_See, that compromise wasn't so hard, was it?"_

_Pulling me impossibly close Jane breathed into my hair. "No, I guess not."'_

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I was brought back to the present by a gentle squeeze to my arm and Jane's concerned question of. "Are you okay?"

Quietly I nodded. Seeing Jane wasn't convinced I smiled and said reassuringly. "Yes, I was just thinking about the plans for today."

Releasing my arm Jane inspected me for a long moment, obviously gauging my honesty. She must have seen the sincerity in my eyes, because she only nodded her acceptance before drawing my attention to the other room and breakfast.

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We drove along the corridor with the fingers of one hand lightly intertwined. Jane easily manoeuvring the buggy with her left hand, from the moment we'd got up and dressed there was a reluctance to break contact with each other. Pulling up to the security office, Jane reached over and handed me my crutches, and once we were inside she pulled me into a long hug and said solemnly. "I'll see you later, and if this goes wrong, no matter what happens, you stay right here."

"Jane …."

She must have known I was going to say that I couldn't make those sorts of promises because she cut me off. "Please Maura. I don't want to be worrying about you as well. Something about this isn't sitting right with me, but I can't figure out what it is."

Struggling to think of another compromise I settled on. "I promise if there is an incident I won't go any closer to the beach than this doorway, but if they need Doctors I've got to help." Trying to lighten the moment I added. "You know I don't believe in gut feelings, but if that famous Rizzoli intuition is correct, then I won't leave the shelter. Is that good enough?"

There was only a nod in response. I had hoped to draw the taller woman out of her brooding, introspective mood but it obviously hadn't worked, so I just pulled her into as tight a hug as I could. Finally Jane let go, running her hands down my arms, prolonging the contact for as long as she dared, then with a whispered. "I love you," she grabbed a radio and earpiece, and made her way to the lower level to meet with Tommy and his crew.

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The morning passed without incident, animals had been let outside, crop damage assessed and found to not be as bad as we'd first feared. Angela had brought us lunch, and stayed for a while to keep me company, but her duties called her away fairly quickly which meant other than me, the only people in the office were Sean, Vince and Barry who were all directing operations. Without anybody to talk to or any real role to play in this part of the process, I was rapidly becoming bored. I couldn't even concentrate on reading a book, as I was constantly worrying about how Jane was doing.

Just when I felt I would need to leave and go and see Bass and Jo to distract me, Bruce entered the office, and scanning the room he caught my eye and made his way over to my side.

"Hey Doc, I had an idea about how we could improve the camera surveillance, I know the others are busy so I thought I'd run it by you first."

"Alright," I agreed easily, grateful for the intrusion. "What did you have in mind?"

"I was wondering about using webcams, could we add those remotely to the system from the workspace computers we have dotted around the shelter?"

"I'm not sure, and even if we could, I'm a bit uneasy about the thought of covert surveillance of all the innocent people who would be using, or passing by the terminals. We get precious enough free time to be ourselves as it is."

"Yeah," he sighed heavily. "I thought of that, but Doc, this person has the potential to be dangerous, and I think that the loss of freedom for a small amount of time will be outweighed by the possible benefits."

Thinking over what he had said, I determined I wanted to look at one of the workspace computers he was talking about. Going through the options I decided Angela's would be closest, and the most secure as she knew what was happening. Getting up I motioned to him to follow me outside.

"Er, didn't you promise Jane you'd stay here?" He asked nervously. "I don't want her coming after my hide if she hears you've left. Frankly last night, when it came to your safety, she scared the bejesus out of me, and I went through Nam. I tell ya Doc, she's one Hell of a protective woman!"

Shaking my head, somewhat annoyed by all the mollycoddling that seemed to be going on around me I pointed out. "Bruce, if you remember I promised I wouldn't go out to the beach, I only want to go to the kitchens and take a closer look at a terminal to see what sort of coverage we might gain. And apart from anything else you've seen me defend myself." It was time to remind people I wasn't the person I had been a year ago.

"Oh, yeah," Bruce bashfully scratched the back of his neck. "Sorry, I wasn't thinking."

"That's alright, I know Jane is protective, and believe me I don't mind that, but I can take care of myself." I rested one crutch and reached out to lightly pat his side as I made my way past him into the corridor. Because the kitchens were close I decided to forgo the buggy and walk, well, hobble along with the crutches.

Walking alongside me Bruce broke into easy conversation. "Ya know Doc, first time I saw you here I wondered how you had gathered so much support in such a short space of time. You seemed too polite, too refined to grab us all by the scruff of the neck and run New Boston efficiently. I soon realized I couldn't think of anybody who could have done the job better, or more compassionately." Bruce rarely mentioned his arrival at the shelter. Although he had been lucky, his wife and daughter had not been affected by the virus and his was one of the few family units to remain whole. They'd reached us within the second week of our own arrival with a wave of other survivors from New York. However, I knew both Bruce and his wife had lost all their siblings and respective families to the disease. As a result the big man was often reticent with his personal views and memories. So, coming from Bruce this was high praise indeed, and I was monetarily humbled. Just as I was about to reply we both looked at each other in alarm.

"What's that noise?" I asked nervously.

Glancing to the door opposite us Bruce frowned for a moment, then twisted so I was enveloped in his arms. The last thing I heard was him saying. "Fuck!" Before the world went black.

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	16. Chapter 16: Blackout

**Authors note: Gosh, thank you for all the amazing reviews, follows, alerts etc. I'm glad you're all enjoying the story. There will be an author's note at the end of the chapter as well. If I put it in now it might be distracting for the reader. That said, please bear with me if a part of this chapter doesn't quite sit right with those of you who might know more about these things than I do. I did it that way for a very good reason, hence the second authors note to explain that reason.**

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Chapter 16: Blackout.

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'_I was dreaming, first the wondrous image of Jane curled up with me in bed, then Jane was kissing me good morning, followed by me sitting in the security office and talking to Angela, and then I was walking along, talking with Bruce. Finally, to finish off the dream there was a light at the end of a dark tunnel, and somehow I knew I needed to make my way to the light, and so calmly and quietly I did.'_

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When I started to wake up the first thing I thought was how strange the dream had been, but oddly I couldn't quite remember any of the details. Not wanting to start my day quite yet, I realized all the external noise was bothering me so I decided to turn over in bed and pull the comforter over my ears. However, as I went to move somebody placed their hands on my shoulders and I heard them say. "Easy Maura, don't move just yet." Totally confused as to why I was hearing Elizabeth's' voice in our bedroom I slowly opened my eyes. Or at least I tried to, stopping when the movement caused what felt like red hot hammers to pound in my brain. I could only groan in response, and I heard Elizabeth add. "I do need you to try and open your eyes though."

Taking a moment to will the pain away I tried again, and this time I was more successful as I focused on the older woman's concerned gaze. Next I realized that I wasn't in my bed, but in a corridor with smoke, debris and medical personal around. "What happened? Where am I?" I managed to ask before the artificial light became too painful to my eyes and I shut them, letting the elephants wearing hobnailed boots, which had seemingly taken up residence in tandem with the hammers, to subside. During my medical residency I had heard the term used once by a fellow Doctor, and I had dismissed the expression as a grossly unnecessary magnification of the feelings he was experiencing. I was rapidly reassessing my views on the matter. God that was agonizing!

I was drawn from my thoughts by Elizabeth's gentle tone. "There was an explosion of some kind, you were knocked unconscious." Mercifully Elizabeth kept her voice low, not adding to my discomfort. As I was taking a moment to process what she was saying she asked. "What was the last thing you remember?"

"Going to bed, and waking up." I really hoped she didn't want me to talk too much more, as there was a lot pain involved.

Seemingly satisfied Elizabeth said. "You've got a concession, with some memory loss. Try not to think about things too hard. It should come back to you."

"Okay," I really wasn't in the mood to argue, still battling the pain and disorientation.

The next thing I was aware of was Jane's voice in the distance hollering my name. Before I could pull myself together enough to greet her I felt something slide to my side. Thankfully, I listened as Elizabeth headed Jane off before she could get too demanding. "Jane, she should be fine, a pretty hefty concussion, but Bruce shielded her from the worst of the impact."

Feeling Jane's fingers running lightly through my hair I chanced opening my eyes. "Hey," I whispered, noting her watery eyes. For some reason I wasn't worried by what was happening to me. Roaring headache aside, I was feeling pretty detached from the whole thing.

"Hey," she whispered back. "Think you're up to moving?"

I carefully took stock, managing to wiggle my fingers and toes without any problems.

"Yes," I breathed out. "Just wish I could remember what happened." I closed my eyes again.

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I must have zoned out at some point because the next thing I was conscious of was being lifted onto a gurney. It was then that I started to remember my dream, and I realized it wasn't a dream at all, but memories.

"Jane," I opened my eyes, searching for her comforting presence. Instantly she was there, taking my hand in her own. "Bruce," I asked. "What happened to Bruce?"

"You're remembering, that's good," a ghost of a smile lifted the corner of her lips.

"That didn't answer my question." Now I was remembering more the headache was subsiding slightly, allowing clearer thought processes, and I was seriously worried about the older man.

Jane sensed my concern and was quick to reassure me. "Bruce is hurt, but they think he'll be okay. Best they can tell he's got a concussion to rival yours, a couple of broken ribs and a collapsed lung. He's stable and being moved to the operating room to be worked on."

"Oh thank God," I knew, like me there were risks involved to Bruce after sustaining a head injury, but that was about the best news I could have expected at that particular moment. I allowed my eyes to drift shut, and my mind to wander aimlessly, trying not to think too hard about any one thing, dimly cognisant of all the other voices around me.

Not quite sure how we got there, I found myself being moved into an infirmary bed, with Elizabeth taking charge of my care. She asked me some basic questions, name, date of birth etc. I knew my answers would give them a baseline to gauge my future neurological responses upon. The portable x-ray machine was brought over, and films taken of my head. Admittedly it wasn't the best way of diagnosing head injuries, but that was one facility where the New Boston infirmary was lacking. This was going to be done the good old fashioned way, with x-rays and close observation.

Eventually Elizabeth seemed satisfied with what she was seeing on the light box and made her way over. Keeping her voice low she said. "Hope you don't mind me taking your case, only Graham is treating Bruce, so it was a toss up between me and Peter, and we all know how everybody feels about that prick. We farmed him off to assist in the OR. Graham looked less than impressed when I did that." I let a small smile grace my lips at her gentle humor. Taking and gently squeezing my hand she continued. "No obvious fractures or breaks. So for the moment we'll wake you every hour for the next twenty three hours, and reassess you then." Elizabeth glanced at Jane, who had only left my side while the x-rays were being taken. "And I kind of get the impression you want to be the one doing the waking."

"Yes," Jane's voice was rough, and I could tell she was feeling the strain, but if Elizabeth was okay with Jane being the one to oversee that part of my care then I would happily have the lanky woman by my side for the duration.

"Good, I'll stay in the next room overnight, and Bella will be the nurse in charge, if there are any problems, call either of us straight away. Jane, Bella will do all the other nursing duties, so make sure you try and rest in-between the hourly checks. If you don't, I'll pull you off helping so fast your head will spin! " I could tell from Elizabeth's tone of voice that Jane was not getting a choice in the matter. Jane must have realized it to, because she nodded her agreement immediately.

Elizabeth then proceeded to coach Jane one what questions she needed to ask me every hour, and what symptoms she needed to keep an eye out for. Satisfied I was in good hands she left us alone, and although I was tired, I wasn't quite ready to allow slumber to take over.

Making herself comfortable in the reclining chair next to my bed, Jane noticed I was fighting sleep. "What's wrong?" She asked, concern instantly clouding her tone, muscles tensing ready for action.

Quickly I reassured her. "Nothing, but I'm still not sure exactly what happened. What can you tell me?"

"Are you sure you're up to this right now?"

"Yes, I need to know," I hesitated and added. "Please Jane, the last thing I remember is Bruce wrapping me in his arms after we heard a hissing noise from the room opposite. I got the impression he recognized what it was before he acted."

"Yeah, Korsak saw him do that on the security footage about half a second before the door blew off and hit you. General assessment is that given its speed and angle it would have likely taken your head off if he hadn't done that." Her voice tapered off until it was barely audible. "He saved your life Maur, and I don't think I can ever repay him for that."

I immediately tried to brush it off as hyperbole. "Surely that's a slight embellishment of what happened …" I trailed off seeing the pain in Jane's eyes.

Adding credence to her pained expression Jane also shook her head vigorously. "No, while you were being x-rayed Korsak fed the security feed to the terminal here for me to watch. Although the damage to the room itself was minimal that door came flying off like a missile. And Korsak thinks it was done using some bombing method they came across a lot in Nam, you saying you heard a hiss probably confirms his theory. Something about a chemical reaction, I wasn't really listening by then, all I could think about was that door heading your way." Jane visibly shuddered, and her voice dropped to a near whisper. "Looks like it was a distraction, and it worked cos I left my post. Dammit, if that bastard gets word to his buddies because of me I don't know what I'll do!"

I could tell Jane was upset about what happened to both me and Bruce, but she was also furious with herself for leaving a gap in the security perimeter. Trying to take her mind off it all I said. "Jane, I need you to try and remember that this wasn't your fault. Whoever did this is was probably relying on that very reaction from at least one of the hidden posts, they've played us, all of us, and you can't take the blame alone. If you don't believe it right now, then at least don't talk yourself into taking on any more guilt." I could see the tension lessening in her shoulders, and finally Jane nodded. It was then that I remembered what Bruce had said in the security office earlier. "Jane, Bruce said he was in Vietnam as well, do you think that's why he might have recognized the hissing sound?"

Immediately Jane's eyes took on a contemplative look. "I'll check with Korsak, he's going to come down with a full report, and debrief Bruce as soon as he can, but yeah, sounds likely." She gave me a hesitant look. "Think you can sleep for a little while now?"

"Yes," I replied as I gratefully let my eyes slide shut and the world around me recede into the healing realm of dreams.

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Once the requisite twenty three hours had past, my main headache was virtually gone, although there was a residual dull throb, plus I had a stiff and sore neck which we all think I got from impacting the corridor wall. Apart from that there were only some bruises and sore muscles to add to my previous injuries. Pleased with my progress Elizabeth had released me into Jane's care on the promise we went straight to our quarters and got some decent rest. And I think we were both exhausted by the time Jane parked the buggy in the relevant spot outside the door. Stumbling inside we both made our way ungracefully to the bedroom, and changed into sleepwear. I'm not sure which of us was asleep first, but neither of us heard Angela arrive later on that afternoon to check on us and leave a note to say she would bring Cameron around that evening.

In fact it was the sound of Cameron's laughter as he played with Jo that pulled me awake, and I felt Jane shift next to me. "I'll pay you fifty bucks to deal with my Mother," she mumbled. "I bet she's already in flapping Mother hen mode."

Turning so I could look into Jane's face, I could see she still had her eyes closed, although she did have a slight smile playing on her lips so I knew she wasn't too annoyed by her Mother's intrusion. "In what mode?" I asked lightly.

Jane yawned and opened her eyes, allowing the smile to take full hold. "Flapping Mother hen mode, she'll have been baking all afternoon and bugging Elizabeth for the go ahead to wake us up so she can make sure we're as okay as Elizabeth says we are."

"Ah, she needs visual confirmation that we are alright."

"Yep, and if she's heard us talking she'll be banging …."

And before Jane could finish there was a rap on the bedroom door and Angela's voice asking. "Are you girls up, I've got your dinner here, and Cameron wants to spend a bit of time with you both before he has to go to bed."

"Told you," Jane smirked, and in a slightly louder tone answered her Mother. "We'll be right out Ma, just promise to keep it down. Maura's going to have a headache for a little while yet."

"Alright sweetie, don't take too long, dinner will go cold otherwise."

Regretfully Jane removed the warm bed-covers grabbed both our robes and helped me up and into mine. Still yawning we made our way into the sitting area, and stopped when Cameron saw us and bounded over. Careful of my bruises and still healing knee he reached up for a long hug which I gratefully gave him as I picked him up into my arms, even though it pulled on my sore muscles. For one so young, he showed such an amazing maturity and I was once again overwhelmed by the love I felt for the young boy. The situation may not have been perfect, but I was indebted to have him in my life. "Hey sweetheart, have you been behaving yourself for Angela?"

Nodding against my neck Cameron tightened his hold. "When can I move back with you and Jane?" He asked tearfully. Not having had time to discuss the situation with the other woman I glanced Jane's way to gauge her reaction and was gratified to see acceptance of whatever decision I made reflected my way.

"How about in the morning, it's a bit later to be packing all your stuff up tonight. Do you think you'll be alright to stay one more night at Angela's?"

"Yes, she said I would need to stay at least one more night to make sure you got some rest after your owie. You wouldn't like the noise." Lifting his head so he was looking straight into my eyes he added earnestly. "Was it a big owie like Jane's?"

Moving so I could settle him on one of the dining chairs I replied. "No sweetie, but I will have a bit of a sore head for a while." I sat down next to him, with Jane taking her place on my other side, and with Angela serving we had a wonderful, relaxed family meal. All of us were sad when it came time for Cameron to leave. However, I must admit I was exceedingly was grateful for that extra night of quiet as I recovered.

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The following morning had seen Jane unwilling to leave my side, and once Cameron had excitedly brought his things back to his own room, before he headed off to the classroom, she hovered. After a couple of hours I could feel my patience wearing thin. "We both slept well, and you're anxious to find out what's happening. So go and see Sean and the others." I finally suggested.

"No, I don't want you here on your own," she countered.

Shaking my head very slightly in exasperation I said. "I need to see Elizabeth for a check-up anyway, why don't I phone her and ask her to come and collect me. Or you can drop me off. That way I can see how Bruce is doing as well." I could see the pout starting to form and not for the first time I reflected that dealing with Jane Rizzoli was sometimes akin to having a reticent child in my life. Only these days I really did have a child in my life, and I couldn't stop the smile which formed at that thought.

Of course Jane noticed and it seemed to throw her off track somewhat. "Why are you suddenly smiling?" She asked warily. "I'm not leaving." Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"No, you're not," I agreed, quickly taking advantage of her momentary distraction. "We're both leaving, only I'm going to see Elizabeth and you're going to catch up with Sean, Vince and Barry." I got up and headed out of the door before Jane could react. "You can drop me off, and then collect me once you've finished at the security office."

Galvanized into action Jane sprinted towards the buggy where I was now waiting patiently in the driver's seat. "Wait. What? No Maur, we're not doing this."

I turned the key to power up the small vehicle. "Yes, we are, now get in." I waited a second and when there was no movement from Jane I slowly pulled forward.

Springing into the other seat Jane growled at me. "You shouldn't be driving, and if I thought I could stop you without hurting you more than you already are, I would. If you so much as move anywhere other than the infirmary until I get back I will personally handcuff you to the fucking bed until this is all over!"

Recognizing Jane was reaching her maximum level of tolerance I only nodded and cautiously carried on driving knowing Jane was right, and I really shouldn't have been in the drivers' seat because it was making my headache worse. Jane glowered beside me the whole way, and the moment she saw Elizabeth she made sure the older woman was aware of her threats towards me if I wasn't careful. I knew I'd really pushed things when Elizabeth gave me a disapproving stare and agreed readily with the taller woman. Jane visibly relaxed once she realized she had Elizabeth on her side and was clearly happier when she left us.

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My check-up was fine, and afterwards I spent some time talking with Elizabeth before going to visit Bruce. The large man had come through the ordeal with minimal injuries considering what had happened. His wife was at his bedside when I entered, and for a split second I felt guilty. If Bruce hadn't protected me he might have managed to get out of harm's way. Amanda stood and came over, gently placing a hand on my arm. "How are you doing?" She asked kindly.

"I think I should be asking you and Bruce that question," I said, trying to gain some emotional equilibrium. "But I'm alright, nothing more than a concussion and bruises thanks to your husband."

The shorter, blond, going gray haired woman smiled and glanced proudly back at Bruce who was watching our interplay with interest. "I wouldn't expect anything less," leaning over to briefly kiss my cheek she added. "I'll leave you two alone. I know Bruce wanted to talk to you about something. It must be important because he always tells me what's going on, but I know, once he can, he'll let me in on the secret."

Before I could answer Amanda winked and left and so I made my way over to the bed. Gently taking Bruce's hand in mine, I took comfort from the familiarity of the infirmary machinery which surrounded us, nervously keeping my line of vision on our joined hands. "Bruce…" I began hesitantly.

"Don't," he said fiercely. Shocked by his tone my eyes shot up to draw level with his and his voice softened. "Don't blame yourself, if you want to make it right, let Jane Rizzoli be the great Detective we've all heard so many stories about. Let her nail this guy's ass to the wall."

"You can bet I'll do that for you old man," Jane's voice intervened, unseen by us both she had entered the room. Making her to my side she reached out and took my free hand. "And if I get really lucky you can personally kick their ass before I throw them to the wolves."

"No luck on finding out who it was?" Bruce asked gruffly, clearly moved by Jane's fortitude.

"Nada, I tell ya, this person's really starting to bug me, no clues on the security tapes other than blurry images, and he, or she, is timing this so precisely I'm beginning to wonder who we can truly trust."

"Surely you don't mean Sean, Vince and Barry?" I gasped, shocked that Jane might think so little of them.

"Outside of my family, those three, and the three of us in this room, I'm not prepared to let anybody know of any further plans we come up with. Not even the security teams. If we want something done, we're going to have to get it sorted out with the limited people we've got available. Korsak told me Bruce had a good idea about using webcams to help surveillance. Cavanaugh's approved the scheme, and Frost is setting it up now."

I groaned, realizing I'd forgotten to tell Jane about that yesterday. "God, I'm sorry Jane, that's what Bruce and I were going to look at when we left the security office yesterday."

"Concussion, remember?" Jane lightly teased back. "I think we can forgive you forgetting something just this once Dr Smartypants."

Bruce laughed, then grimaced and lightly grabbed at his broken ribs as he groaned. "Oh God, don't make me laugh, that hurts. You really call her Dr Smartypants?"

"Every chance I get," Jane confirmed. "That or Doctor Snob, but right now, I think we need to let you two get some rest. I just wanted to thank you Bruce, and to say I'm glad you realized what was happening."

"Heard that damned sound enough in Nam to recognize the thing. I wasn't sure exactly what was going to explode, but I needed to make sure the Doc here was protected. I didn't feel like confronting you if something worse had happened to her." Bruce's speech had sobered the moment, and knowing there was little any of us could do to lighten his words Jane and I took them at face value. It would take all of us a while to recover from the emotional impact of yesterday and we knew it.

Taking the lead, Jane said her goodbye, and walked over to the door to give me and Bruce a little bit more privacy. "Thank you," I whispered as I lent down to kiss a slightly wizened cheek.

"Always." He whispered back and smiled. "It's what family do for each other, and we're all family now." And for a split second he was like the Father I wish I'd had growing up. Bruce was honorable, giving, compassionate and kind. Little wonder I loved him so much.

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Exhausted by the time we got back to our quarters, I didn't need Jane to tell me to go back to bed and rest. Although I did insist she join me so I could catch up on what had happened in the security office. Apart from anything, I didn't want to be discussing details by the time Cameron got back from school. The young boy had enough to cope with, without hearing about saboteurs and traitors within New Boston. He obviously knew something was happening because of my injuries, but I wanted to shield him from the ugliness as much as I could. Jane lay back on the pillows, and I moved so I was propped up against her shoulder, molding against her body with ease. I took a moment to close my eyes and savor the feeling of contentment that flowed over me.

"Do you want to rest now, or hear what I found out?" Jane finally asked.

"Hmm, I think you'd better tell me before I fall asleep, I'd like to know what happened before Cameron gets home."

Jane sighed. "Home, I like the sound of that," she paused briefly, and I felt her taking a deep settling breath. "To be honest there isn't a lot to tell. We know whoever it is has access to heads of departments' reports, plus knew something about bombs and also managed to take out Frost's computer programme. Apart from Bruce we don't know of anybody else who could have been in Nam, but if what Korsak tells me is correct Bruce hates computers and refuses to use one for his reports, he writes them out longhand and his section heads submit them into the computer system."

I was able to confirm Vince's facts. "Yes, he knows the basics on how to use one, but prefers not to because his brother was a computer engineer, and it brings up too many bad memories. Bruce sometimes wondered how they could be related. He once told me his brother was a technology master, but as far as he's concerned, he sees himself as a Luddite. Besides, his reaction in the corridor seemed too genuine, I trust him completely."

"Yeah, me to," Jane replied. "Which brought us to a big fat nothing, and until we can work out who knows enough about those three things we're flying in the dark. If we just had access to the kind of records we had at the BPD it would make things easier."

Unable to stop a yawn I couldn't help but feel my mind wanting to slip into sleep. Jane smiled down at me, and moving so we were lying flat, but still curled up together she lightly kissed my forehead and said. "Go to sleep Maur, I'll wake you when Cameron gets back."

"Thank you," I murmured and allowed myself to drift off.

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Waking up I was pleased to note my residual headache had receded yet further, and Jane was also asleep next to me. Although Jane had recovered well from her ordeal, the more rest she got the better, so I lay there enjoying the sight of the tall woman relaxed in slumber. Looking up at the clock above the bedroom door I was surprised to see it was nearly time for Cameron's return, so with some regret I careful removed myself from Jane's embrace, changed into some loose pants and top, and made my way into the main living area. Going over to the side where I had a small two plate hob with a tea kettle, I filled the kettle with water and placed it on the smaller plate to heat up for some peppermint tea. Mint was such an easy thing to grow it gave the shelter an almost unlimited supply of leaves to make into a hot drink, and all the rooms in New Boston had been equipped with a small stove and tea-kettle to allow people to make their own hot beverages. Not for the first time I wished we had more coffee to hand, but I was grateful we at least had some beans available to us each week. Although with my current concussion I would not have been able to drink caffeine anyway. I made a mental note to tell Angela to give Jane, Vine and Barry my weekly share of coffee for the next few days as I felt sure they would be grateful for the extra caffeine while they tracked down the traitor.

Brought out of my musings by the whistle of the kettle, I poured the water and let the mint leaves steep for a few minutes. Enjoying the quiet I moved over to the sofa and sat down, lifting the mug to my nose and enjoyed the sweet scent of peppermint when I heard Jane emerge from the room behind me. Feeling Jane slide her hands around my neck I lent back until her cheek was resting against the side of my neck. "Hey sleepy head," I said smiling.

"So much for me being the one to wake you," reaching down Jane snagged the mug from my hands and took a sip, grimacing when she realized it was an unsweetened drink.

"Thief," I replied good naturedly as I recaptured my mug. "The water's just boiled. You can make your own tea."

"Good, you're welcome to that tasteless rubbish. Ya know, the previous coffee and teas I've had were sweet, what the hell did Ma use?" the other woman asked, and I immediately missed Jane's warmth behind me when she moved over to the side to fix her own drink.

Laughing at the still sour expression on Jane's face from tasting my beverage I said. "We have a few beehives on the beach edge that my Father put in place for this very reason. There is some honey in the stoneware jar next to the mint tea leaves."

"Oh thank you Lord!"

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Once she was done Jane came and sat down next to me. "What time do you expect Cameron back?" She asked.

"Any minute now, he often goes to help with the animals after classes, but I expect he'll want to be with us this afternoon."

"So we should make the most of the peace and quiet while it lasts." Jane said smirking slightly.

"Absolutely," I responded, knowing how noisy it could get between Cameron and Jo. "You should take the chance to spend a bit of time with Cameron when it's time to take Jo for her walk. He obviously loves spending time with you, and I'm not allowed to do too much for a couple of days."

"I like the sound of that," Jane nodded. "It would be the ideal time to get to know him a bit better."

Before I could respond the door flew open and Cameron came barreling in. His smile grew impossibly wide when he spotted the pair of us sitting on the sofa. Cameron ran over, jumped up next to Jane and just missed knocking over her mug, wrapped his arms around her neck and gave her a sloppy kiss on the cheek. Once he'd done that he carefully lent over to give me a kiss as well, before sliding off the furniture and going into his room to find Jo.

"Family," Jane whispered lovingly.

"Family," I whispered back smiling.

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**Second authors note: So, did you spot it? No, yes? Okay, here's the deal: I know next to nothing about explosives, and I somehow thought that the 'powers that be' might not like the idea of somebody doing a Google search on how to make bombs even though I hate being so inaccurate! I left it as vague as I dared, and I hope I've got away with it. If anybody can give me more technical data using the idea's I've already written down then I would gladly update the chapter. And I hope it didn't distract from the story too much. I can only apologize if that happened; only I really didn't want the police knocking on my door.**

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	17. Chapter 17: Raiding Hell

**Authors Note: Sorry for the delay in my updates. Life has just been throwing one thing after another at me and my sister this past year. However, I have been plodding away very slowly but surely both on this story and 'Flying Blind.' Thank you for your patience and I hope you enjoy this update. **

**This chapter has not been beta read so I'm sorry if there are any glaring errors. If you spot anything major please let me know so I can correct it.**

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Chapter 17: Raising Hell.

The next few days past quietly, Jane and Cameron built up a close relationship by taking Jo on long beach walks and after the young boy's classes Jane went to the stables to help with Cameron's duties there. Slowly the shelter seemed to settle back into its usual routine and it had us wondering if the saboteur had given up, at least for the time being.

After eight days I had been given the all clear from Elizabeth, my concession faded, and my lightly strapped knee finally allowing me to weigh bear and I gratefully returned to my duties. Aside from my work as head of New Boston, I also helped make up the first major batch of antidote, ready for distribution in about three months' time. Each afternoon I made time to go outside and train with the horses, Jane had wanted to learn to ride, and with Cameron we had started to go out on trail rides around the headland on small scouting missions, taking it easy because of my knee and the others novice status. Much to my pleasure Jane had proved to be a natural horseman, even more than her youngest brother, easily taking to riding a large grey mare we used to teach novice riders. Within a week she was happily cantering along the beach like a pro.

Once I returned to work Tommy had put forward a plan to take his group to a hospital he had come across on one of his foraging exhibitions, and was expected back any day with some more supplies. We hoped he would manage to secure a few extra infirmary parts and a CAT scanner. Although there was going to be some large pieces of machinery to manhandle, with the main entrance being so big we would have little trouble getting it all into a room next to the infirmary. Bruce had put forward the request to have more equipment installed after the explosion, and the request had hit no opposition.

Because of the nature of Tommy's task, the council had been consulted, and it had been agreed he could use one of the larger SUV's with a trailer we had kept on site for special occasions. Gas was a precious commodity, and so the few vehicles we had kept were not taken out of the shelter unless there was very little option. Bruce kept them maintained just in case they were needed, but they were not something we used every day, and because of their importance it was decreed that Barry Frost would accompany Tommy for security purposes. Alongside those four, Bruce had asked one of the engineers by the name of David Scott to go along to supervise the removal of the CAT scanner. The planning took a couple of weeks to complete, and they left a few days after it had all been approved.

Life bumbled along, with people soon finding their feet again after the lockdown. Jane and I settled into a comfortable routine with Cameron. Jane was still seeing Elizabeth, but the sessions had been reduced to only once a week, and as much as we wanted to move our relationship forward we had both realized we were more than happy just cuddling up at night for the time being. Not because we were afraid of taking the next step in the relationship, but to start with we wanted to concentrate on Cameron, and the youngster had been thrilled to have us both in his life.

That peace would be shattered in an unexpected manner three weeks after I returned to work, and four days after Tommy and the others had left for the hospital.

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I was in the infirmary with Bruce, Vince and Elizabeth going through the antidote update from Graham when Jane came barrelling through the door.

"You've got to come quick," she said breathlessly. "Kathleen and Sarah are back, but they're hurt plus Tommy and Frost aren't with them."

Jumping up I grabbed one of the emergency medical packs. "Why, what's happened?" I asked as we made our way out to the corridor and ran towards the main entrance, with Graham and Elizabeth hot on our heels.

"Don't know any more than that," Jane confirmed, not wasting time on overly long explanations. "I was with Cavanagh when we got the call from security posted at main entrance."

Turning the corner I witnessed the front entrance opened up for the first time in six months, because I had been caught up in council business the day Tommy and the others had left. The SUV and trailer were just being driven inside by Kathleen, with Sarah sitting next to her, and David was in the back seat. Everybody and everything looked battered, although the trailer was obviously laden down. David got out first, and although he was pale with some facial bruising, he seemed unharmed. Running my eyes over the two women I was pleased to see their injuries appeared to be mostly superficial, although Sarah held her right arm awkwardly against her body. From the angle I surmised she had either a broken collar bone or dislocated shoulder. Both looked exhausted and were covered in dust and debris, various small cuts littered their exposed skin. Security personnel swarmed forward and took charge of the SUV and closed up the heavy main door behind them.

Pushing her way through the commotion Jane skidded to a halt next to Kathleen who had just disembarked from the Jeep Grand Cherokee. "Where are Tommy and Frost?" She demanded to know anxiously.

Kathleen looked over to the taller woman and realizing who it was talking to her, moved so we could converse in a quieter corner. She took a long tired breath before she answered. "We got ambushed in the hospital after we loaded up. Somehow they knew we were going to be there because they had the whole place set to blow once we'd got all the usable stuff outta there. Tommy and Frost got trapped by rubble in the parking garage. We wanted to stay and try and get them out but they ordered us to get the stuff back here." Kathleen looked upset that they had left the men behind.

Satisfied there were enough medical personnel to deal with Sarah I handed off the medical bag to Elizabeth, deciding to let the other Doctor start Kathleen's treatment which would allow me to listen to the tale purely as the head of New Boston. "You did the right thing," I reassured the former nun. "You know the protocol. We'll get the armored SUV out and go back for them."

The vehicle I was talking about had been one of my Father's surprise new additions to the bunker when we'd first arrived. A Land-Rover long wheel base Defender had been kitted out with military grade armor and we only used it in situations where we knew there was a likely chance of a skirmish with rogue groups, or with large numbers of those affected by the virus. Painted in camouflage colors suitable for the local landscape, it was also equipped with rescue items and emergency medical care bags and run flat tires. The back had been stripped out which allowed enough room for two people to be brought back to the bunker on stretchers if needed. Admittedly it was a tight fit, and we'd only had cause to use it once before, but it was good for the job at hand. Knowing Jane would want to be the one to go as security on the rescue mission I turned to Elizabeth. "We'll leave as soon as we can get the Land-Rover prepped, I'll take Mike with me. He's been training with both the fire teams and Bruce, time to see if he's as good as they all say he is."

"Wise choice," Elizabeth nodded her approval. "You get the SUV, and I'll call for Mike to come up here, what weapons do you want him to bring?"

I didn't hesitate. "If he can grab the usual suspects, Jane still has her gun, but get Mike to bring two shotguns and extra rounds for all three guns, if this is a rogue group we might need the additional firepower."

When I looked back towards Jane I realized she was looking at me agape. "What's wrong?" I asked puzzled.

"Badass," Jane shook her head. "Totally badass." Moving closer so only I could hear her she added. "And right now, if I wasn't so worried about Tommy and Frost that would be about the hottest I've ever seen you."

Before I could answer Jane had winked at me and moved to talk to the head of door security who was now debriefing Kathleen, I took a moment to watch her confident manner, true she was worried, but that determined nature was as prevalent as ever. My gaze was dragged away by the arrival of Mike. He was driving a buggy with a few weapons on board. Shaking my head lightly to get back on task, I moved towards the alcove that housed the vehicles we had kept. Passing the security office I went to get the keys to the Land-Rover, and as I reached the vehicle Jane came up to me and took the keys out of my hand. "I'm driving," she said in a tone that implied she wasn't prepared to argue the point. I thought about disagreeing with the taller woman, however, I was dissuaded remembering that Jane had more experience in offensive driving techniques, and we would need all the help we could to get to the hospital and back safely. My only concern was wondering if Jane knew how to drive with a shift stick transmission.

I needn't have worried. Jane slid behind the wheel of the Defender and easily slipped the vehicle into gear and manoeuvred it into place just inside the main door so we could load up the extra weaponry. We all strapped on swords, and Jane and I also grabbed a dagger each. We took a couple of bows with arrows with us in case we needed them driving to and from the hospital, however, they would be useless within the confined quarters of an underground structure. Mike got in the small side seat situated in the back of the Land-Rover, and I claimed the passenger seat next to Jane. On the former Detectives signal the security officer she had been talking to opened the door and we cautiously made our way outside.

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Despite the fact it had only been a little past a year since we'd first arrived from Boston the roads were littered with dangers. Alongside abandoned vehicles of every conceivable type, debris from downed trees and unmaintained surfaces made for hazardous driving conditions. Jane skilfully drove the Land-Rover, confidently avoiding the worst of the barriers and obstructions. Mike and I kept a close eye out for potential ambushes and it struck me how the undergrowth had taken over so much of the landscape. Tendrils of ivy and wild roses tumbled along the edge of the old roadway. Cascading along like arteries of natural colors, intersected with the rusting wreaked hulks of vehicles and machines abandoned along the way. Leaves, branches and other organic waste littered the remaining blacktop, almost obscuring the edges of the road. The overall affect was depressing, but of even more concern was that the conditions meant that it was easy for traps to be laid by rogue groups, just waiting for the unsuspecting traveler.

Twice Jane had to yank the wheel hard to avoid what looked like potential traps, causing me and Mike to hang on to our seats with a death grip. We had a navigation system installed in the vehicle which was guiding us towards our destination, and we estimated we would be travelling for about two more hours before we reached the hospital that Tommy had singled out. Only last year the journey would have taken about half an hour, but of course these days with the lack of maintenance of the roads and added blockades, things took a lot longer. Nobody spoke, each focused on the task at hand. Only slight grunts punctuated the air as we hit the side of the vehicle if Jane had to swing the Land-Rover around corners or avoid obstacles sharply. The journey was emotional exhausting, taxing both our powers of concentration and our ability to switch off from the horrors that surrounded us. Once outside the shelter the full aftermath of the plague was visible. Bodies lay where they had fallen, most from last year, but some as recent as a few days. The stench was almost overwhelming at times, and even with my professional detachment as a former Medical Examiner a couple of times I had to fight my gag reflex. Poor Mike suffered the worst from the smells that assaulted our senses, looking paler as the journey progressed. I was reminded of Barry Frost and his frequent problems dealing with death, both at crime scenes, and in the former morgue, the memories of those easier days seared into my consciousness.

Before I could get too lost in my recollections the beginnings of buildings started to appear in the landscape. Most had been looted for all usable materials, however, it also meant additional structures for rogue groups to hide in and place ambushes. Jane was forced to slow down even more as the destruction got worse and worse, the available driving surface narrowing by the minute. More than once we were bounced around as the Land-Rover's sturdy wheels clattered over mounds of rubbish. Frowning in her concentration Jane was totally focused, and knowing we were drawing closer to our destination I reached over and grabbed one of the shotguns and a belt that held additional cartridges. Because we were relying on Mike to begin any rescue attempt he would limit his armory to the other shotgun and would be foregoing his sword, with luck he would be able to get to work almost straight away. My job would be to provide medical aid to Tommy and Barry. However, I would also be needed to help Jane secure the area while Mike worked.

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The sight that greeted us as we finally arrived at the hospital was daunting to say the least. The parking garage had been to one side of the main building, and although it looked like it was only the hospital itself that had been rigged to blow up it had taken one edge of the garage with it. Whatever they had used to blow up the building had been extremely effective, all that remained were mounds of concrete rubble amalgamated with mangled steel rods and girders. For the first time in several hours Jane spoke, a grim expression on her face. "Kathleen said we should be able to drive into the garage, but I'm guessing there will be people waiting for us to arrive, so I'm going in hard and fast. If it comes down to a fire fight use the Land-Rover as cover, we need to secure the area before we think of anything else." While she was speaking, she checked the holster at her belt and Mike picked up the second shotgun.

As predicted a rogue group was waiting, several were hit by the Land-Rover as it ploughed down the ramp into the gloom of the lower parking levels. Their screams of pain and anguish mingled with the roar of the engine as it echoed around the confined space. The flimsy makeshift barrier the group had constructed across the entrance was easily scattered under the weight and size of the Defender. Screeching to a halt at the wall of rubble that greeted us twenty foot in, Jane led the exit from the vehicle, carefully taking aim with her gun at any remaining people that she could find. I wasn't far behind the taller woman and spying a man coming at us from the pile of rubble I swung around and fired the shotgun, hitting the man squarely in the chest. With a gurgle he fell, killed instantly. Suddenly the crack of a gun from my right joined in the fire-fight, and twisting to see where it was coming from I was relieved to see Barry Frost hidden behind a large chunk of concrete, his face drawn and pained he held his left arm close to his chest, enabling him to sight a handgun with his dominant hand. I'm not sure where he'd got the weapon from because it wasn't the one he had left the bunker with, but he was still using it effectively.

Jane had moved slightly as there were a couple of people coming in too close, before long we would be reduced to fighting with our swords and bare hands. I knew from previous experience this would quickly get ugly. Moving to meet the two people closing in on her position, Jane used the final bullet in her clip on one, before holstering the gun and starting to fight hand to hand with the other. I was being tracked by a third person, and Mike looked to be clear to start work and he made his way over to Barry. The only other people I could see in the garage were those injured by our initial assault through the barrier. Jane had taken a punch to the jaw, but had relaxed her stance allowing her to ride the blow and remained standing. The police training kicking into gear as she grappled with the swarthy man who had swung the punch. The younger blond haired woman who was approaching my position looked nervous, and for that I was glad, I still hated taking a life unless I absolutely had to, and a nervous person could sometimes be talked down. Raising my hands in a conciliatory manner I waited to see if the other woman would be receptive to surrendering. In my peripheral vision a part of my mind was constantly aware of what was happening to Jane. Worried I watched as she was tackled to the ground by the stronger man, but I was unable to aid Jane until I knew if the rogue woman would yield. To my relief the woman threw down her sword, sat down on the rubble and started to cry. Turning my full attention to Jane I also noticed that Mike had helped Barry Frost from out behind the rubble. "Help her." I shouted pointing to the distraught woman I'd just left.

"Okay." Mikes reply reverberated oddly throughout the structure, and finally I was free to help wrestle the large man to the ground. Taking my dagger I jumped around his back and placed the blade against his neck, resting right next to his carotid artery. He immediately froze.

Jane sensed my presence and swiftly had the man facing the floor with his arms fixed against his back. "I wouldn't move," she snarled, spitting away some blood from a split lip. "The woman holding that knife to your throat is a Doctor, and if you so much as breathe wrong she'll have you bleeding like a stuck pig before you can beg for mercy." Jane waited a moment for the man to nod his acceptance of the situation before she added in a frustrated tone. "God, why do they always resist, I hate it when they resist!" Reaching for her belt she removed the pair of handcuffs that had been added to her accessories when she'd joined the bunker security detail full time. Quickly she had the man cuffed and pushing him away from her in disgust she was finally able to wipe the blood away from her lip.

Moving to her side I took a moment to gauge the taller woman's injuries. Sighing in exasperation I said. "You've hurt your nose. You'll have to let me check it," I paused slightly before adding resignedly. "Again, but first we need to focus on Barry and Tommy."

"Yeah," Jane checked to make sure the handcuffed man was behaving before she made her way to Barry Frost's side. "Good to see you," she said, clapping a hand on his uninjured shoulder.

Barry motioned to the arm he was cradling. "Think I got away with a broken arm, Tommy's behind the rubble, he's bashed up but okay. We were being held captive in a makeshift corner of the rubble." Mike had succeeded in calming the woman down, and hearing Barry mention Tommy he went over to help the younger Rizzoli out of the aforementioned cell.

Frost continued to give us a quick debrief. "I managed to steal one of the spare guns they were waving around. They might have managed to blow the place up but they were amateur hour," the disgust in his voice was obvious. "Loose with their mouths and weapons, and they were totally disorganized " I moved to get the medical bag out of the SUV and started to strap up Barry's arm while he carried on with his assessment of the rogue group. "And I finally think I have a small lead on who our traitor might be."

Jane immediately perked up, and her head straightened so rapidly it reminded me of a Suricata suricatta, commonly known as a Meerkat, and it almost looked comical before she said. "Wait? What, really?"

Frost nodded, and then grimaced as I moved his arm into position so I could put on a sling. Meanwhile Mike had succeeded in freeing Tommy, and was helping him over the rubble. Finally freer of pain Barry heaved a sigh of relief and said. "Can we get out of here first before I tell you? I'd like to bring you all up to speed at once."

Jane considered his request for a moment, and looking around at the parking garage she must have decided Barry had a point. If we got attacked again we might not be so lucky, and time was of the essence. Tommy reached us, and Jane tenderly touched the side of his face which was liberally smeared with blood from a ragged scalp wound. "Hey little bro, how you doing?" she asked softly.

For a split second the younger Rizzoli lent into his sister caress and the closeness between the siblings was endearing. "I'm okay sis, bit banged up, but nothing too bad. The others got back, they're alright?" Tommy's concern for his group was obvious by his tone.

Jane smiled reassuringly at her brother. "They're all fine, wanna get outta here?" She asked lightly.

"You betcha," Tommy replied with a tired sigh.

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I insisted Tommy lay down on a stretcher for the return journey because he was obviously suffering from a concussion and I didn't want to make things worse. Luckily he saw the look his sister was giving him and chose not to argue the point, stubbornness was another Rizzoli family trait but they all knew how to make the other sibling listen if it was really needed. Barry didn't require any persuasion to take the second stretcher, and we soon had both men settled. Before we left Jane spent a few minutes trying to get the man and the woman to talk. The man clammed up, scowling, and the woman was too frightened to say anything, so Jane swapped her handcuffs for some wire binding she found in the rubble. She didn't want to lose a precious commodity like the handcuff's but at the same time she didn't want this guy loose until after we'd left. The woman was put in the back, and Jane was going to interrogate her properly once we returned to New Boston. Mike scouted around the rouge group and collected all the available weapons, which increased our firepower by two rifles, four hand guns, six swords and three bows with arrows. It was a tight squeeze in the back with the additional people and weapons, but we made it work after the woman offered to sit on the floor between the stretchers. We didn't hang around after that, night would be falling soon and we would almost certainly have at least one skirmish on our way back as the darkness would provide a good cover for rogue groups, and those affected by the virus were always more active at night-time.

Tensely we slowly made our way out of the city, and not long after we cleared the suburbs darkness fell. Jane resisted using the headlights as she didn't want to attract any more attention to our position, it was a full moon though and so visibility was good. Despite that our speed had to be reduced and cautiously Jane picked her way through the obstacles. We had been driving for about two and a half hours when we came across a tree blocking the road. I knew that debris had not been there on our way to the hospital, and indeed I could make out the fresh cut marks on the trunk. Jane stopped and took a good look around, debating what to do next. Finally she said softly. "Mike, how easy will that be to move?"

The young man craned his neck to take a good look from the back seat. "Easy with the front winch, we only need to move it a few feet, it'll be quicker to pull the thing with the Land-Rover rather than use the winch motor, it won't take much to get past, I'd say five minutes tops," he said after a short consideration.

"Hmm," Jane thought about it for a moment. "Okay, this is what I want to do, Frost, can you drive one handed around the tree once it's moved?"

"Yes," his reply was full of confidence.

"Great, you come up here, Maura and I will guard Mike and he can get it all hitched up, park as close as you can to the tree, and sit the vehicle at a slight angle so we can get in and out with some cover. Then drive through as soon as we're back on board. If they attack it will be from those trees on the left, there's no real camouflage or ground cover to the right."

Without another word Jane shifted and suddenly I had a lap full of the taller woman. "Sorry," she whispered her mouth tantalizingly close to my ear. "I needed to make room for Frost."

Automatically my hands went around Jane's waist and I couldn't help but smile. "That's alright," I murmured back, enjoying the closeness to the other woman. "You knew I wouldn't mind."

"True," Jane was then distracted by offering a hand to help Barry make his way from the back into the driver's seat. Once he was in position he glanced at Jane before nodding grimly and putting the Land-Rover in gear, obviously grateful he still had full use of his right arm. "Show time," Jane said, her tone hardening as she mentally prepared herself for the upcoming battle.

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Jane had been correct in her assessment, the attack came from the left, nine men fired arrows at our position the moment Mike unhooked the winch to attach it to the tree trunk. We had decided to use bows and arrows as well, although Jane kept her pistol on her belt. Bullets could be made, but were still precious when compared to arrows. Jane had taken to the archaic weaponry well, and soon one arrow had found its mark, disabling a man in the shoulder.

"Fuck," Jane swore when she realized the remaining men were trying to get behind the vehicle to outflank us. "Stay here," she ordered me, and I had little choice but to trust her judgement. Jane spun around and headed for the small ditch that ran alongside the right hand side of the road. I focused on provided covering fire for Mike when I realized what Jane had planned. Using the tiny amount of cover available to her the tall woman somehow blended seamlessly into her surroundings. I had witnessed this the day we were attacked on the beach, but it still amazed me at how well Jane could manage to do it, and it allowed her to get close enough to the front attacker and disable him with a blow to his head. Throwing the man's weaponry towards the rear of the SUV, I realized the blond woman from the hospital had cranked open the back door and was leaning out, scooping up the stuff Jane was throwing her way. Before I could register her intent she had grabbed the bow, nocked an arrow and let loose at one of the men advancing towards the back of the vehicle, the arrow missed, but it served to halt the man's advance. Satisfied she was on our side, at least for the time being I could focus all my attention on Mike who had managed to reach the tree and using the trunk as cover had attached the winch wire. Mike waved his hand. Barry took the hint and reversed the Land-Rover up a few feet, keeping the angle so I could stay in a relatively covered position.

In the melee I had lost track of Jane and for a moment I felt complete panic that she was no longer in my sight. However I needn't have worried because she suddenly reappeared alongside the back door, her wild dark hair hardly visible in the blackness of the night, and she was grinning widely with extra weapons in hand. Taking tally I surmised Jane had managed to disarm a further three men. Now down to four attackers who were well spread out it became easier to find their positions. Once more Jane rid herself of the weapons and headed back into the undergrowth. The next time I was able to pinpoint Jane it was from the grunt a man gave as she hit him, because she was still out of view. Shaking my head at her ability to remain unseen, the three remaining attackers must have realized they were on the losing side and started to withdraw. Before they got too far though, we were suddenly attacked by a person who had been affected by the virus. They came out of the woodland in total silence and had reached me before I had chance to react, and before I knew it I was flat on my back with the wind knocked out of me.

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Struggling to take a breath, I could only raise my hands to protect myself as the inhuman male above me gave a blood curdling scream and drew his hands up ready to slam down onto my face. Again with a speed I didn't think possible Jane was at my side, pushing the attacker off me with a huge effort, dodging the blow sent her way she stood above me like a shield, allowing me time to finally get my diaphragm working and take a deep rattling breath. "Oh God," I groaned in reflex as I rolled to my side and shakily got to my feet. That hit had bruised me, although nothing felt broken, and still slightly stunned I was having trouble getting my bearings. All I seemed to be able to focus on was Jane, and she must have realized this because she took my arm at the elbow and propelled me forward.

"Mike," she bellowed. "Get aboard! Now!"

Stumbling slightly, but managing to keep my feet we soon reached the passenger door of the SUV, Jane wrenched the door open and unceremoniously pushed me inside before following, and holding the door loosely closed she said tersely. "Frost, get us the fuck out of here."

He didn't hesitate, and gunned the engine until we were past the tree, slowing down once we were past the immediate danger. Before we'd cleared the obstruction though, Jane swung the door open as the infected attacker made a last desperate lunge at the vehicle in passing. The crunch as the door made contact with his skull echoed around the confined space, and it made me cringe, I very much doubted that anybody infected or not, would survive the resulting injury. With a supreme effort Jane kept hold of the door, and finally slammed it shut. Panting heavily she slumped against my side, trembling hands reaching out to grasp my hips as she lent her head on my shoulder.

Dragging in a ragged breath she said quietly. "Goddammit, I wish you'd stop doing that to me Maur!"

I couldn't stop the nervous laugh that escaped before I answered. "I have no idea why it seems to keep happening to me, that's more incidents in a few weeks than the rest of the year put together."

We took a moment to savor the closeness before Jane turned her attention to Barry. "Pull over as soon as you can, we'll swap back."

"You've got it," he replied, as he battled to steer one handed through the night, after fifteen minutes Barry picked a spot that was fairly clear of debris on all sides, stopped the SVU and pulled on the parking brake.

It didn't take long for the former Detectives to move back to their previous positions, and Jane soon had us driving along the dark route once more.

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We only encountered a few more infected people on route back to the bunker, and they were all easily avoided with the SUV. With a sigh of relief I recognized we were nearly home, and using the radio installed in the Defender I made contact with the security office. "Mobile one to Security one over."

Sean's voice came through clearly. "Security one here, were you successful? Over."

"Yes, we're about a minute out, and we have one extra passenger. She'll need a security escort, over"

"Acknowledged, we'll be standing by, over and out."

"Received, over and out." Finally I allowed my body to relax, the tensions of the day seeping away as we drew up to the main door which was just being opened to allow Jane to drive inside. It seemed like pandemonium when we disembarked, but it was only because there were two medical teams there to take charge of Barry and Tommy, plus Elizabeth was there to give Jane, Mike and myself a cursory glance over. Satisfied we'd come back unharmed she turned to look at the young woman who was getting out of the Land-Rover, wordlessly surrendering to the security detail Sean had provided. Sean himself was also there, and smiled at us when he also realized we were not hurt.

Happy that we were not needed to help with Barry and Tommy, Jane and I made our way to Cavanaugh's side as he asked. "So who is the young lady?"

I looked over to the person in question as Jane answered. "Not sure of her name, she was with the rogue group, but she was pretty terrified, I think she'd been bullied into joining. I thought we'd question her about the ambush, Frost overheard the men talking about some kind of a link to our saboteur."

"Did he now?" Sean said thoughtfully. "That could be useful. Do you think she'll be safe in a room with a guard at the door, or do we need to think about confining her further?"

"Nah," Jane waved a hand dismissively. "A guarded room should do it, but just in case, make sure nobody but you, me, Ma and Maura get to see her."

"What are you thinking Rizzoli?" Sean said pensively.

Jane's answer was immediate. "I'm thinking that if the traitor knows she's here he might try and get to her."

The older man frowned, He obviously wasn't happy with Jane's reasoning, but could not come up with a counter argument. "Alright," he finally said. "I'll ask Vince to take the night watch. He rested up today in case you needed help tonight."

"Perfect," Jane agreed. "Ma still got the kitchen open?"

"Course she has, she wasn't going to stop cooking until she knew you were back okay. Are you hungry or something Rizzoli?"

"I'm starving," Jane grinned. "And Ma's cooking sounds real good about now."

The moment Jane said that I realized I was also starving, and the thought of dinner cooked by Angela sounded wonderful, so I was grateful when Sean said. "You go and get fed. We'll catch up in the morning, 0930 in the security office. Don't be late."

Giving us a final wave, Sean let us clamber into the buggy with Mike and we made our way back into the depths of the bunker.

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Angela pounced the moment we entered the canteen. "Janie, Maura!" She said shrilly, before running over. "Are you okay, how's Tommy, where _are_ Tommy and Barry?"

"Ma!" Jane said firmly, cutting her Mother off mid flow. "They're in the infirmary a little banged up, but they're gonna be fine."

"Oh, are you sure?" Angela glanced my way as she asked the question. "You're not just saying that?"

"No Angela," quickly I cut in to reassure the older woman. "Barry has a broken arm, Tommy has a scalp laceration and some concussion so they'll keep him overnight for observation, but they both should be up and about tomorrow without too many complications."

"Oh thank God," Angela reflexively crossed herself. Handing Jane the dishtowel which had been slung over her shoulder she said. "There's some lasagna and garlic bread in the oven, plus salad in the fridge, I'm going to check on the boys." And before we had chance to answer she was gone.

"Is that the helicopter Mom mode you were cautioning me about?" I said laughing.

"That would be the one," Jane confirmed. "I would ring Elizabeth to warn her but I kinda get the impression she can handle Ma."

Nodding in agreement I took the dishtowel out of Jane's hand. "You and Mike sit down, and I'll get the food plated up."

Jane smiled fondly at me. "Are you sure? I'm quite capable of giving you a hand."

I lent over and gave Jane's cheek a quick kiss. "I know, but you did most of the work today, let me spoil you for a moment."

Returning the kiss Jane said softly. "Okay, seeing as you asked so nicely." Still smiling gently at me, Jane led Mike over to the table and I concentrated on the food. It had been a long day, and somehow I thought tomorrow was also going to be taxing, it was time to relax a bit.

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	18. Chapter 18: Out of The Mouth of Babes

**Authors Note: Thank you for all the kind words, and also the reviews, alerts, follows etc. **

**I promise I do read each and every review. Please continue to let me know what you think of the story so far. **

**This chapter has not been beta read so I'm sorry if there are any glaring errors. If you spot anything major please do let me know so I can correct it, especially as I have a bad habit of thinking one word and typing another. This has already happened in another story and it was kindly pointed out to me, which allowed me to edit the mistake.**

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Chapter 18:Out of The Mouth of Babes.

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When we arrived back out our quarters Jane checked on Cameron, and I said goodnight to Christine who had been babysitting our young charge for the evening. Then I tended to the small cut on Jane's lip and was relieved to find her nose was only bruised. Once I'd done that I phoned the infirmary to get an update on Barry and Tommy. Just as I was putting down the phone I felt Jane slide up behind me, wrap her arms around my hips, and rest her chin on my shoulder. "Hmm," she said softly. "I do love these chances to just cuddle up to you."

Smiling broadly I turned in her arms and linked my hands behind her neck. "I love that too. Barry and Tommy are settled in for the night, they're both going to be fine."

Jane's grin matched my own. "Good," she declared, before leaning down to capture my lips in hers. The kiss was slow and gentle, and we gradually made our way across the room trading kisses, tumbling into bed laughing at our antics.

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We slept blissfully well that night, physical exhaustion combined with the lassitude we felt after cuddling for close to an hour had granted us a night of undisturbed slumber. Woken up by Cameron bounding onto the bed at seven thirty, I was surprised I'd slept past my normal waking hour, and although Jane still hated early mornings she was getting used to Cameron waking her up once I'd got breakfast sorted out. Now the three of us were living together, I'd started to use the hotplate more often to cook breakfast so we could share a nice family meal before our day began. Today though, rather than cook pancakes or scrambled eggs in our quarters, we got dressed and joined Angela in the canteen for breakfast. Doing that allowed us to leave Cameron in Angela's capable hands because being a Saturday, there were no school classes. Once we'd eaten Jane and I made our way to the security office ready for our debriefing on yesterday's events. Today was also coffee day and after the excursions of yesterday we both were grateful for a mug to take into the meeting.

Barry Frost drove up in a buggy just as we arrived, his arm was in a cast plus a sling and he looked much happier now the break had been immobilized One advantage of the buggies was that they were easy to drive one handed. Tommy sat next to Barry, and although he looked paler than normal with a large gauze pad taped over the now stitched scalp laceration, he was also much brighter than he had been. Both men looked wistfully at the coffee, which I'm sure they were both barred from drinking for the time being, and when the men alighted Jane moved to give her brother a hand and I gave Barry a welcoming hug.

"It's good to see you both," I said.

"Are you sure you're up to this?" Jane then asked, looking concerned.

"Yeah," Tommy said smiling, while Barry nodded. "I promised Elizabeth I would only stay long enough to let you know what I heard. Katherine is coming to pick me up shortly and she promised Ma she'd keep an eye on me for the rest of the day."

"Good," I said as I opened the door and we made our way inside. Sean and Vince were already waiting for us, Vince looking tired after his night shift.

"So is our guest okay?" Jane asked pulling out a chair at the table.

"Not too bad," Vince said. "We didn't get a peep out of her when we settled her into the room, but she had some awful nightmares overnight and was too upset to let me anywhere near her. Mike is standing guard for the moment, I thought she'd be okay with him because she met him yesterday, and she knows we'll be going to talk to her as soon as we're done here. I definitely got the same impression that you did. I think she was bullied into helping and is relieved to be away from the group."

"I wonder if the nightmares are indicative of assault. Do we need to have her checked out?" I asked, instantly concerned because sexual assault of both men and woman was not unheard of in rogue groups that often used fear and violence to control their members.

Vince sighed. "I think you're right because when I asked if she wanted a Doctor she freaked out and refused, but it could be she didn't trust me that much because I'm a man. You might have more luck." I knew the gentle man would be upset over the woman's rebuff, but he had also seen too much in his career to take it personally.

"From the sounds of things I think the Doc and Rizzoli will get more out of her," Sean said. "So I'm going to suggest you two commandeer an isolation room in the infirmary to interview her, that way we can monitor the situation but stay out of the room."

"Good idea," I concurred.

"And that brings us to what Frost and Tommy can tell us," Sean said succinctly. "Tommy, you start, and then you can go and get some rest."

"Thanks," Tommy said. "To be honest I was out of it for quite a while, but I did hear the man who tackled Jane talking to the members of the group about expecting a message soon regarding another serious attempt to overtake the bunker."

"Was there any indication about how the message was going to be relayed? Or how they were planning the attack?" Jane asked.

"Nah," Tommy shook his head ruefully before stopping himself with a slight grimace, the subconscious movement obviously not helping his sore head. "But from what I heard several of the people who had been involved in the initial attack were not keen on making another attempt, seems we did more of a number on their resources than we realized. That's why they wanted to blow the hospital, to try and get their hands on the Land-Rover when you came to rescue us."

"So they've got inside information about our standard operating procedures in those kinds of situations," I said grimly.

"Which still keeps our main suspects within the heads of department," Jane growled in a frustrated tone. "That doesn't help us narrow it down much further!"

"This might though," Barry added. "We thought we were dealing with one person, but from what I heard we're dealing with two people, one of whom has a much higher security clearance."

Vince let out a low whistle and sat back in his chair. "Well that certainly changes the ball park," he said.

"That it does," Cavanagh paused before adding. "Alright, Tommy, if that's all you can think of, then get outta here and rest. Last thing I need is your Ma on my back about keeping you here for too long."

"Thanks Sean," Tommy got up and Jane rose with her brother, she gave him a hug and I heard her whisper in his ear. "I'll catch up later, love ya."

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For a while silence descended on the office as we mulled over the latest information.

"Well that would explain how somebody might have knowledge of both explosives and computers, they don't. Two people equal two different skill sets." Barry finally said.

Jane nodded before adding. "This seems to expand our number of possible suspects. I'm wondering if we haven't been focusing on the wrong people and that maybe none of the department heads are involved after all."

"I wouldn't be so sure," I said cautiously. "I think it's unlikely both traitors would be running departments because I'm confident we would have seen evidence of mental instability from at least one of them before now. However, the evidence does lead us to at least one department head having something to do with this. Our department heads were scrutinized very carefully before they were offered the posts and so I'm convinced that it's likely the antidote working on you prompted some kind of psychotic break and that set the whole thing in motion. In this sort of partnership it makes sense for one person to have a lower position of power than the other."

"Gah, another master and apprentice situation, just what we needed," the tone Jane used was one of utter disgust, and I knew we were all thinking about Hoyt.

"Maybe our young guest can shed some light on the matter," Sean said, rising to his feet. "Let's get her interview over with, and then we can decide how we're going to proceed from there."

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Nervously the blond woman sat down in the chair Jane had placed by the table. We sat opposite her, and like Jane I made a conscious effort to make my pose as non-threatening as possible.

"Maybe you could tell us your name?" I started off gently.

"Lyd … Lydia S…Sparks," she replied stuttering with anxiety, her hands on the table wringing tightly against each other, eyes constantly downcast.

"Hi Lydia, well, my name is Doctor Maura Isles, and this is one of our top security officers, Jane Rizzoli." I smiled reassuringly, this woman was obviously terrified.

"They're not going to g… get to me are they?" She asked in a rush.

"Who Lydia? Who would want to get to you here?" Jane reached over and placed a comforting hand over Lydia's as she spoke.

After a long moment the blond woman finally answered. "The two m…men who want to take over the bunker."

"So it is only men and not women that want to take over the bunker?" Jane clarified.

Nodding sharply Lydia added. "Yes, they somehow got in touch with G…Greg, he was the one you fought yesterday, and he was l…leader of our group," mentioning the man's name had Lydia's eyes fluttering up in fear before they fell back to her hands. "A…And he agreed to help them if he could take over control of the a…antidote."

"What can you tell us about these men Lydia?" Keeping her tone as calm as before Jane squeezed Lydia's hands in encouragement.

Finally the young woman's gaze rose to meet ours. "Not much," she admitted in a slightly stronger tone of voice. "I do know one was quite a bit older than the o…other but I'm not sure which one is in charge. I do know G…Greg was scared shitless of the person who was running the whole thing though."

"Anything else?" Jane asked.

Lydia shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. I really w…wish I could help you only they kept me more as a prisoner than a m…member of the group." Her voice trailed off as she was obviously overcome with memories.

"It's okay Lydia, you've done really well," Jane said and then she glanced at me and I could see that Jane felt there was nothing more the young woman could tell us.

"Do you need to see a Doctor?" I asked. "You don't have to see a man, I could check you over, or I could ask Elizabeth a friend of mine to do the exam."

"N…n…no," the stammer was back only worse than before. "I'll b…be f…fine."

I smiled softly. "I know you'll be fine, but I'd like to make sure you're alright right now. Would you let me do that?"

A much longer pause than before and then Lydia said. "Okay, but can I o…only have you in the r…room with me?"

"Of course," I said quietly. "I'll just go and get a room set up next door, will you be okay with Jane for a few minutes?"

Mutely she nodded.

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Sighing heavily I made my way out of the exam room and into the corridor where Jane was waiting for me. Seeing my expression she pushed off the wall she was leaning against and pulled me into a deep hug which I eagerly lapped up.

"Rough one hey?" She asked very quietly.

I nodded against the solid warmth under my cheek. "Yes," I muttered into Jane's chest, trying not to cry at the memory of the evidence I'd just come across. "I found signs of repeated sexual and physical abuse, God, that poor woman wasn't just a prisoner. She was a sex slave. She was pretty upset by the end so I've given her a sedative for now."

"Damn!" Jane tightened her hold even more. "Anything I can do to help?"

"Not much," I admitted. "The good news is she's willing to see Elizabeth sometime in the next day or so, but until then I thought it best she just got used to the fact that she's not a prisoner anymore," I paused suddenly concerned at the thought that Jane or Sean might not agree with me. "She's not a prisoner anymore is she?"

"No," Jane's conviction was strong. "Cavanagh, Korsak and Frost all think the same thing I do, she's no threat to us, but we will make sure she has a guard for the time being to keep her safe. We've got enough females on the security team to cover twenty-four hour shifts."

I raised my head and gave Jane an unexpectedly searing kiss. "Not that I'm complaining," she said with a smile when I broke away. "But what was that for?"

"For being for perfect, kind and thoughtful, making sure Lydia's security detail was all female was a nice thing to do." I buried myself back into the hug and for a moment tried not to think too hard about all the horrors that were still going on outside the walls of New Boston.

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Once Jane had got the first security officer of the day in place outside Lydia's room, we separated and she went to meet up with Sean and Frankie to see if they could narrow down suspects, while I made my way to see Graham. Arranging for only female staff to look after Lydia took no time at all, and once we'd finished Graham asked me curiously. "Is there any particular reason why you're taking such a personal interest in this woman's case?"

"No," I said, and decided that technically I wasn't lying because there was no particular reason for me to be involved in Lydia's medical treatment, I could have easily passed her care off to Elizabeth. "Why?"

"I was only curious because you don't normally get involved with live patients without being asked."

Graham had a point, and so that it didn't seem like I was trying to hide anything I said. "I think it was just that we came across her yesterday and spent all that time together in the same vehicle getting back here. I became worried about her and wanted to do what I could to help."

He smiled fondly at me. "We'll have you totally comfortable with live patients yet."

"The odds are not in your favor," I countered. This was a regular light-hearted taunt between us.

"Ah if I were a betting man," he said with a twinkle in his eye. "But I'm not, so I can't take you up on that offer, sorry."

"Same old, same old," I teased back. "And as much as I hate to cut things short, I need to go and see Elizabeth and let her know I've got her yet _another_ patient. She'll be sick and tired of the sight of me before long."

Graham laughed. "She'll forgive you, she always does," and waving our goodbyes I left Graham in the laboratory where I'd found him.

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As expected Jane and I were both late getting back to our quarters that evening, although I got there just in time to read Cameron his bedtime story. Arriving an hour after me, Jane gave me a kiss before looking in on Cameron. "Has he been any bother today?" She asked when she came back into the main living area.

"No," I replied. "Your Mother said he was as good as gold all day." I took an appraising glance at the brunette. "You look exhausted. Do you have to work tomorrow?"

"No," Jane sighed. "We haven't made any progress and I hate missing the weekends with Cameron unless we absolutely have to. And after losing today to work I'd like to try and spend some time together."

"Are you sure?" I asked doubtfully. "I mean, yes, I'd love it if the three of us could spend the day away from work, but you never used to take time off from a case like this when we were in Boston."

"I know," moving to the sofa where she flopped down Jane sighed again, obviously still tense from the day. "But frankly that was before all this happened, and I need that time with you guys, it lets me come back to a problem fresh. And with all this going on I need you two more than I need to keep trying to flog this dead horse of a case."

I smiled as I lowered myself down onto Jane's lap and rested my head against her shoulder as she wrapped her arms around my waist. "Flogging a dead horse of a case," I repeated. "That's different way of putting it. Whatever you do, don't let Cameron hear you say that, he might think something has happened to Blackie."

That had the desired affect because Jane laughed finally letting the stresses slip away and I could feel her muscles relaxing. "We really do need to rename that horse," she said. "Is there a feminine of Walter?"

"Yes, the name Waltrina, it is old German and means Commander of the Army. It also has two other variant forms, Walteena and Walterine."

"Wow, I wasn't expecting there to be any," Jane sounded genuinely surprised. "Huh, who woulda thought it?" Snuggling closer Jane said quietly. "I quite like Walterine. It sounds very similar to Wolverine."

"Ah, the wolverine," I said. "Scientific name Gulo gulo, they are also referred to as glutton, carcajou, skunk bear, or quickhatch, and they are the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae, that's the weasel family to you and me."

Jane started laughing so much we were both nearly upended onto the floor, amused by her outburst I let her giggles die down somewhat before saying. "I didn't know information about weasels was so entertaining."

"Oh God," Jane managed between odd moments of giggling. "No, I wasn't thinking about Wolverine the animals. I was talking about Wolverine as in The X-Men."

"The what men?" I asked. "Wait! Don't tell me. That's one of those popular cultural reference's that I don't know about isn't it?"

Still giggling quietly Jane finally got herself under control. "I'm afraid so sweetheart. Oh I needed that, thank you."

"Well, I'm not quite sure what I did, but my pleasure." Feeling the tensions of the day fade, I inhaled the scent that was uniquely Jane and smiled. Tomorrow we could hopefully relax and just enjoy whatever it was we eventually decided to do.

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Sunday dawned with another lovely sunny day, fall would soon be upon us, but for the moment the weather was still good enough to think about going out to our beach for the morning, with a ride in the afternoon. Cameron was delighted with our plans, and once we'd had breakfast we made our way outside. Settling down the hamper that contained our lunch in a handy little niche by the outer door, Jane stretched and said. "So, what do you want to do first?"

"Swim," said Cameron. Outside of his normal school swimming lessons Jane had been teaching him and he loved every minute of it. He was still nervous about getting his head underwater but he had grasping the basic principles well, and was confident enough to swim around from the main beach to the headland if he needed to do that in an emergency.

"I hoped you'd say that," Jane said as she pulled off her shirt and pants to leave her in some grey boxer shorts and a tank top. The sight of those long lean legs and arms silhouetted against the sun's backdrop made me stop in my tracks, Jane's form never ceased to hit me on a primeval level and it took me a few seconds to get past the feelings of arousal that shot through me. Bringing my mind back to the fact we were there with Cameron took some doing, but the moment he grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the shoreline I was able to refocus on the day ahead and not my libido.

That afternoon Blackie was taking her turn out in one of the corals, and we went to see her before we went for our normal ride around the headland. She whinnied the moment she spotted Jane and Cameron, and trotted over to the fence for a fuss. Smiling I watched as Jane reached down to lift Cameron up into a better position, and as he stroked the mare's nose Jane said. "Do you think we could name her properly?"

"Oh yes," Cameron agreed keenly. "I think Blackie is a better name for the other horse we have here, Docs Maur was working with her just before you arrived."

Jane spared a questioning glance in my direction, and I said. "He's right, there is the other black mare, she was broken in a little while before you arrived, and Mike's been working with her since then." I though back to the moment I'd been with that mare and Mike subsequently calling me into the meeting that announced the success of the antidote. I had a feeling then naming the black mare would be special, and indeed it was, both horses being named by the people I loved.

"That sounds like a plan then," Jane said, bringing my thoughts back to the present. "I thought the name Walterine would be a nice one, what'd you think buddy?"

Giving the question the serious consideration only a young child can manage Cameron finally nodded and said. "I like that, and I could call her Walt for short, like Walt Disney."

"You liked Walt Disney did you?" Jane asked as she set Cameron back down.

"Yes," Cameron confirmed. "Mickey is my favorite, we have a film at school once a week, and when it's my turn to choose I like to watch Mickey's Club House."

"I liked Pluto, and in fact I always wanted a dog growing up just so I could call him Pluto." Jane admitted, making it sound as though the information she was giving Cameron was special to him and him alone.

"You never had a dog?" Cameron asked wide eyed. "But you've got Jo now."

"No, we never did get the dog I wanted, my Pop didn't want one, that's why I loved it when Vince gave me Jo, but don't tell him that, otherwise he'll never let me forget that he was right." Jane smiled to show she was joking and Cameron burst out laughing.

Leaving Walterine behind we went and tacked up the horses we were riding that afternoon, Mike came over and gave us a hand, and I thanked him as he double checked all of Cameron's gear. I told him of the name changes for the horses, he loved them both and promised to make a note on the relevant paperwork. Heading out we made our way over to the beach and got around the headland ten minutes later.

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As much as we would have just loved to relax and think of nothing but riding out, we had to be careful and treat the experience as a scouting mission as much as anything. And as a matter of course Jane and I would make a short report on our return, based on our observations while we were riding around the woodland. For some reason today was eerily quiet, so much so that Jane and I started to exchange worried glances towards the end of our ride. Normally we would come across at least one person affected by the virus, and today we couldn't find a sign of a single person, infected or not.

Eventually Jane said. "Have you ever known it this quiet Maur?"

I shook my head. "Never, it's beginning to worry me to be honest." Looking back I was pleased to see that Cameron appeared unaffected by the changing atmosphere. Luckily we were coming to the end of our riding session and the headland was within sight, and as far as I was concerned we couldn't get there quickly enough.

The moment we reached the safety of the bunker's beach I called Mike over and asked him to take care of the horses and see that Cameron got back to Angela safely. Kneeling down I said to the young boy. "Jane and I need to go and make our reports honey, we shouldn't be too long."

"Alright," he said as he threw his arms around my neck. "I'll play with Jo and Bass while you're gone."

"Good little man." I said, and feeling Jane's presence behind me, I disentangled myself, turned and we made our way inside New Boston. First we needed to change out of our wet clothes, but once we'd done that we rapidly made our way to the security office.

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Much to my surprise Barry Frost was inside the security office and seeing my look he said. "I was getting bored and although I can't do much I can monitor the surveillance cameras."

"Is having the computer webcams tied into the system helping?" Jane wanted to know as she sat down next to her former partner.

Barry nodded. "It's giving us a much bigger coverage, although we're drawing a blank on activity."

"Well here's something else for you think about," Jane stretched out in the chair as she spoke. "We just got back from our ride and it was devoid of any kind of outside contact."

Seeing the surprise cross Barry's face I added. "It's almost as if people have gone through clearing the area of all those affected by the virus, all traces wiped out so thoroughly it feels sterilized."

"I tell you Frost," said Jane. "It had my gut churning and alarm bells ringing. There wasn't even the hint of another presence. It was like riding through the ghost town of a movie set."

"It was extremely unnerving," I agreed.

"Do you think it's connected to the attack?" He asked eyes and posture alert.

"If it isn't then it's one hell of a coincidence," Jane didn't hesitate with her answer. "I just wish I knew what clearing the area might achieve."

"We've heard of people losing control of their emotions before now and killing every person that they come across who has been affected by the virus," I said. "But this felt too personal, too controlled and planned. Normally in those incidents the person attacks without any idea about how they want to go about it and in all the tales we've heard about it ends with them being killed because they leave themselves vulnerable to attack.

"So why, in such a deliberate manner, wipe out the entire area of those affected?" Jane's frustration was showing through.

"Maybe they want us to make a show of going out there and investigating, after all, that's what we would normally do when something like this happens so close to the bunker." Barry tossed the idea out with a shrug, only to witness a marked stiffening of Jane's posture.

"Of course," she muttered. "If we had a lot of people outside investigating that would be an ideal time to launch another assault."

"So what do we do?" I asked. "Do we give them what they want and see what happens or do we shut down patrols away from the beach for the time being and hope nothing happens anyway?"

Jane sighed and rubbed her hands through her hair. "We can't do anything tonight, let's bring it up in the security meeting tomorrow morning and go from there. Frost, Frankie is watching the monitors tonight. Warn him about what we know so he can keep a closer eye on the external cameras."

"You've got it," Barry said as Jane and I rose, and saying our goodbyes Jane and I went back to our quarters. I could see Jane was distracted by the events of the afternoon, and I hoped an evening in would provide the relaxation she still desperately needed.

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Cameron was leaning up against Jane's side as she read him his bedtime story, fighting the yawns Cameron seemed determined to stay up as late as possible. Eventually though he had to go to bed and Jane and I settled back down on the sofa, I took up my favorite position, resting my head against Jane's solid shoulder. We fell into a comfortable silence and Jane rhythmically ran her hands through my hair. Trying not to fall asleep I finally said. "What are your plans for tomorrow?"

"If we could just work out who one of the traitors are it would be something." Jane's voice indicated that she had been thinking about it a lot. "So tomorrow I'm going to suggest we give them what they want, but turn the tables on them."

I snuggled closer. "How would you go about that?" I asked.

"I'm not sure, but I think if we send people out to investigate the disappearance of the virus victims, and then have them sneak back in using the emergency exit we stand a good chance of setting a trap."

"How?" I was curious, because if Jane was right, then an attack on another bunker system was likely.

"We'll appear to leave a couple of key areas unguarded because we're focusing all our attention outside, I think they will want to try and shut down the power grid, force us to operate on backup power only. That's what I would go for next. If we bring people back into the bunker we should be able to catch them in the act this time" Jane spoke with conviction, and I had to agree with her reasoning.

"So you want to call a security briefing before the weekly council meeting?" I asked to clarify, knowing that normally we would have the security meeting after the main council one.

"Yep," the brunette said.

The easy silence enveloped us once more, Jane finally stopped running her hands through my hair, and leaning around so she could look into my eyes she said. "Bedtime," it was neither an order, nor a request, just a simple statement of fact and the wonderful normality of it made me smile.

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Breakfast was a bustling noisy affair because Frankie decided to join us, and he let Jane know there had been no suspicious activity on the outside cameras overnight. Cameron loved playing with Frankie, and while the two of them were rough housing in Cameron's bedroom Jane was taking a shower and I was cooking pancakes.

When Jane appeared at my side I said jokingly. "Is there any way you can put a muzzle on your brother, he gets so loud at times I have trouble remembering which one the child is."

"Nope, sorry you'll just have to put up with it." Jane laughed and lent up against the counter as I grumbled good naturedly, and when I dished up the final lot of food Jane called the two younger members of the group out from the bedroom. We all sat down at the table in a very happy frame of mind, and tucked into the food hungrily.

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Jane and I were sitting enjoying our morning cup of mint tea while Cameron helped Frankie clear up and Jane was musing about what she might get done that morning.

"I just wish we had the information that was available to us in the BRIC, a touch of a button and hey presto, there it all was on the computer screen."

"If you want to learn something you should come to school." Cameron said matter-of-factly.

Jane paused as if something had suddenly occurred to her. "What do you mean sweetie?"

"On Friday Mrs Hanson showed us what she used to do before she came to the bunker, and she showed us on the computer. We learn all sorts of things from the computer." All that was said without a care in the world, oblivious to the wide eyed stares the adults were giving each other as the realization hit us all at once.

"Oh no," I groaned. "It's been right under our noses all along, and I never even gave it a thought."

"Doc Maur's, are you okay," Cameron asked in a concerned tone, pulling at my sleeve.

I moved so I was knelt by his side. "Yes honey, you just reminded me of something that was all, a good something."

"Oh, okay," and with the mental agility that is so natural to children he quickly swapped subjects. "Can I ask Brad over after school to play with Jo and Bass?"

"Of course honey, just let Angela know, and don't forget that she's picking you up after classes today."

"I won't forget," Cameron agreed, and knowing the routine he turned to go and brush his teeth.

The moment Cameron left the room I looked wide eyed at Jane and Frankie. "The computer downloads that my Father put in place, all that information from Government sources should have professional and military qualifications included in the data, not to mention police records!"

"Oh, we've got 'em," Jane said, a feral smile appearing as she lent over to kiss me. "I'll skip the council meeting under the pretense of setting up a sortie for outside, and Frost and I will meet you in the security office afterwards." She turned her attention to her brother. "You go and get at least a couple of hours sleep, it'll take a while to go thought it all, no point in wearing yourself out unnecessarily."

"Are you sure?" Frankie's eyes conveyed the excitement we all felt at narrowing down our list of suspects.

"Yes, if we come up with anything sooner than that I promise I'll give you a call."

"Alright," and going to say goodbye to Cameron Frankie left us.

I jumped slightly when Angela opened the door to collect Cameron for school. She looked like she was about to say something but the words appeared to die on her lips when she noticed the intensity radiating off her daughter. "Anything I should know about?" Angela finally asked cautiously.

The grin Jane gave her Mother seemed almost cold, although it obviously wasn't directed at the older Rizzoli. "We're going to trap those saboteurs, and I think we'll also have a better idea about who they might be."

Narrowing her eyes at the information Angela said. "Good, I don't want to hear any more while there are young ears about, but you go get them honey."

Cameron bounded over, and readily accepted the hug Angela gave him. Angela didn't stay because she needed to get Cameron to classes and after they left Jane and I were finally alone in our quarters. The moment the door drew shut Jane turned to me and said. "Let's go and nail these fucking bastards to the wall."

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	19. Chapter 19: Laying the trap

**Authors Note: Again, thank you for all the reviews, follows, and story alerts. **

**I promise I do read and appreciate each review, please continue to let me know what you think of the story. **

**This chapter has not been beta read so I'm sorry if there are any glaring errors. If you spot anything major please do let me know so I can correct it, especially as I have an incredibly bad habit of thinking one word and typing another. This has already happened in another story and it was kindly pointed out to me, which allowed me to edit the mistake. Plus I_ really_ hate making mistakes.**

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Chapter 19: Laying the trap.

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Sean Cavanagh had pulled me aside before we went into the council meeting. "Rizzoli and Frost have brought me up to date on their plans, so I'm going to recommend a security scouting party for day after tomorrow if the outward signs of virus victims not being around don't improve. That should give Frost chance to do what he does best with the computers, but we won't be leaving it late enough with the security patrol for the traitors to suspect we're not taking that turn of events seriously. Frankie can lead some old BPD security personal back into the bunker, I trust them, and they can hide in critical rooms and wait to see if anybody makes an attempt on the security of those areas."

"That sounds like a solid plan," I said. "So I'm going to let you lead this weekly session with the plans for a security patrol, and that should give me…" I had to break off our conversation as Graham, Elizabeth, Peter and two other medical section heads made their way past us into the council room. Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at me as if she suspected Sean and I were talking about something we didn't want others to hear. However, she just nodded as if she understood our need for privacy and led the others inside after we'd murmured our hellos. Crowe wasn't far behind them, and he nodded hello to his chief before he also entered the meeting room.

Turning my attention back to the head of security I said. "As I was saying, that should give me a chance to observe the facial reactions of those around you." We were interrupted again by the appearance of Bruce, and welcoming his hug I said. "I wasn't expecting you back at work until next week."

He smiled and his whole face lit up. "Ah, you can't keep an old dog down, plus I wanted to surprise you, and also ask about Mike becoming my new plumbing section head. Terry wants to spend more time with the baby, and I think Mike is the ideal choice."

I positively beamed at the older man. "I think that would be perfect, you're planning on announcing it today."

Bruce nodded. "I am indeed, and then I thought you'd like to call him into the meeting so I can give him the good news."

"We'll make that our last order of business then," I was genuinely thrilled by the news. "And we'd better get in there before they send out the search parties."

"Ladies first," Bruce said, and I had to laugh at his old fashioned chivalry.

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The security office was not as busy as I'd expected it to be, but then I remembered we'd decided to keep any new information about the hunt for the saboteurs down to a small handful of people. And although Barry was handicapped with one arm being in a cast, he was still making impressive inroads on the keyboard, the clacking noise sounding loud in the confined space.

"Any luck?" I asked as I pulled over a chair to join him, Jane sitting was at the adjoining terminal and she glanced up to give me a brilliant smile, which I returned, warmed by the gesture.

"Hmm, some," Barry replied after a moment, slightly distracted by what he was doing and not taking his eyes off the screen. "The trouble is the download was dumped in such a hurry it wasn't sorted out into any particular order or categories, and so we have to go through each folder individually to find out what data is stored in each one. Let's face it, none of that information helped in the running of New Boston, so it was never a priority to get it filed properly. So far I've found DMV, tax and parole records. What I'd really like to get my hands on is college and university degrees as well as military records. Police records of any kind would be nice as well. When I find anything of relevance I'm sending it across to Jane so she can look through it all in closer detail. If you pull up to another computer you could help Jane with that."

"Consider it done," I said as I pushed the rolling chair along the floor to appropriate a third work station.

Just as I was about to start Barry added." I've already warned Jane, there is a ton of stuff to wade through and it's not going to be a quick job, we're in it for the long haul."

Jane looked my way again and shrugged her shoulders before she said. "But at least we are finally heading in the right direction. That alone makes me feel better about the situation."

"Well, here's a snippet of information that should make your day better," and I relayed the news about Mike and how he had nervously entered the council meeting thinking he was in trouble over something. The way his face had lit up from the promotion Bruce gave him was one of those moments in life when it was humbling to be there. The young man was undeniably thrilled at the chance he was being offered, and had personally promised me that he wouldn't let Bruce or New Boston down.

"That's great," both Jane and Barry enthused.

"I've no doubt he'll be good at that." Jane added, "I was really impressed with him the other day, and he's great with Cameron."

"I think that section is in a safe pair of hands," I agreed. "So what am I looking for?"

Jane answered. "At the moment we're just trying to find anything that relates to the people who live in the bunker. If we happen to come across anything that links people with the military or with computers so much the better and it doesn't matter how tenuous a link might seem. Bookmark everything, and we'll compare notes at the end of the day."

That seemed easy enough, so I focused on the screen in front of me and began work.

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We broke for an hour at lunch, and I insisted we eat at the canteen so we had a proper break away from the stress of being hunched over computer screens. Frankie joined us after we'd eaten, and we worked quietly and with due diligence for the rest of the day. By the time four o'clock rolled around I have ten pages bookmarked. They only held references to the DMV records, and I had yet to find any that were to do with department heads. Jane had similar results, but Frankie had found Bruce's DMV record, and Barry placed it in a separate folder that he locked into his own personal laptop. He then sent further records to each of our laptops so we could all spend some time that evening on the hunt.

Just as we were about to shut down at five Barry whooped with joy and said. "I've got police and college records!"

"Yeah," Jane said, and together we hurried over pleased to be getting somewhere. "Anything we can look at?"

Barry grimaced slightly. "Sorry, it's a real jumble. I'm going to have to sort it out a bit. I'll do that tonight and we should be able to use the file tomorrow."

"Well it's something," I said as I stretched out the kinks from the day.

Jane looked at me and reaching over to massage my sore neck muscles for a minute she said. "Better than nothing I suppose," after I groaned my thanks, she smiled fondly at me and turned her attention to Frankie. "Who's on duty tonight?"

"I was," Frankie replied. "But because of the security patrol in a couple of days I'm swapping my shifts over. Tommy and Kathleen volunteered to look after the monitors overnight, and they'll be here any minute."

"At least we've got somebody we know we can trust," Barry added. "Right, I've got that file on my laptop, if I spy anything of any worth as I'm going through it I'll let you know."

"Thanks," Jane said.

"What are your plans for tomorrow?" He asked the taller woman as he cleared up his work space.

"To be honest I'm not too sure," Jane admitted." If I hang around in here it might looks odd, the traitors could think we're onto something, so I'm thinking about going to hang around the beach on the pretense of helping with the horses and make a note of who comes out of the shelter and when. If anybody looks suspicious I'll follow and see if they try and get a message out. Maura can stay and help you, if you find anything you can let me know. At least with your arm it makes sense for you to be doing some computer work until you're fully fit again."

"I like that, it's your week to help with the horses anyway, so we'll both be covered by doing what seem like normal duties," Barry yawned, and at that moment the door opened to let Tommy and Kathleen inside.

"You're sure you've got medical clearance for this?" Jane asked her youngest brother, pinning him with a concerned look.

Tommy smiled at his sister's protectiveness. "Yeah, that's why Kathleen is with me, if I start to feel off I can take a nap on the cot while she keeps a look out." He was referring to the fold out bed that was kept in the office for times when we needed a permanent rotation of staff in there.

"Okay, if you're sure," Jane knew she could trust Kathleen to look after her brother, and after leaning in for hugs, we said our goodbyes and left them to it.

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Our evening passed peacefully, Cameron and Jane had taken Jo for a long walk along the beach the moment we'd got back to our quarters. And while they did that I went and got some food from the canteen for our evening meal. Tonight it was pasta with fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic and some soft cheese, all stuff I could cook fresh on the hotplate when the other two returned. I spent a few minutes catching up with Angela, and found out that she had sprung a surprise cake of congratulations on Mike earlier that day. Handing over some of the left over cake Angela said. "I knew you guys were doing important stuff, so I said we'd have a proper party for him this coming weekend. If the weather's still as nice has been, he thought he'd like a cook out on the beach.

"It sounds perfect," I agreed, kissing Angela on the cheek goodbye and carefully balancing my bounty I made my way back to our quarters.

Humming quietly to myself I looked up and gave a beaming smile to Jane and Cameron as they walked back into our quarters laughing about something. I raised an eyebrow in curiosity, and Jane turned to me to explain. "Yesterday Brad and his cat got into trouble with Angela for eating cucumbers from the hydroponics bay. I got the impression that it wasn't so much the fact that they had done that, but the cat chewed on a cucumber while it was still on the plant. It was_ that_ part which Ma found particularly gross."

I wrinkled my nose trying to imagine the scene. "I can't say I've ever heard of a cat eating cucumber before."

"No, but Ma caught them fair and square, it was the cat part that we were finding so funny. I bet Ma's face was a picture when she came across them."

"I can only imagine," I said drolly. "What was his punishment?" Taking food without asking permission first was a big no-no in New Boston, and really was only done by children who hadn't thought through the consequences about what they were doing. For the most part the council left Angela to come up with a suitable penance for guilty parties.

"She had him washing up from the lunch crowd." Jane smiled. "The cat she had to let off with a warning."

That made me chuckle, and Cameron smiled, obviously pleased to see me happy as I was cooking. He came to stand beside me. "Can I help?" He asked earnestly, his eyes dark bright and twinkling.

From the moment Cameron had become a part of my life I'd encouraged him to join in with cooking, it was a valuable life skill, and despite his age he managed to do a number of small jobs. Glancing to Jane I said. "If you ask Jane nicely I'm sure she'll bring over your dining chair for you to stand on, and then you can chop the basil."

Immediately his head turned towards the taller woman and he said beseechingly. "Can I have my chair please Jane?"

Jane paused for a moment and pretended to consider Camerons' request. Seeing the impatient look the youngster was giving her she eventually put him out of his misery and said." Oh okay, I think I can manage that," and went to get the chair.

The rest of the meal preparation saw Jane leaning against the counter and Cameron telling us about his day when suddenly he said. "Jane, are you going to come to class to use the computer?"

"No sweetie," Jane replied. "We can use our own computers if we have to look up anything we want to learn."

"Oh," and for a brief moment his face fell. "I was hoping you'd come to class tomorrow, I wanted you to meet all my school friends."

"Maybe we can arrange that someday soon, when I'm not so busy, how does that sound?" Jane smiled at Cameron when his face lit up hopefully.

"Really?" He said enthusiastically.

"Yes really," we were both chuckling at his pleasure when Jane answered him.

"Yay!" He exclaimed, and once he'd calmed down we continued to make dinner.

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Finally we got Cameron to bed, he'd taken some settling down, but he had drifted off to sleep five minutes previously, letting me snuggle up to Jane as she sat on the sofa. "Long day," I sighed.

"Yeah," Jane said, and her hands automatically started to run through my hair in a soothing motion. "Want to look through what Frost might have sent?"

I sighed, knowing by moving to get our laptops I was going to disrupt Jane's comforting ministrations, but I also knew we had some traitors to catch. "Yes. Let's get it over with." I agreed rather reluctantly, going to rise from the sofa.

"No, you stay there," Jane insisted sensing my movement. "Relax for a moment." Jane rose in my place, and digging through the filing cabinet where we kept our official work documents and office equipment, she soon found both laptops and brought them over.

Once we'd booted them up Jane lent forward, cracked her knuckles together and said. "Right, let's see what we have here."

The first thing I noticed was that Barry had sent over some new files, and when we clicked them open we discovered they contained some police records. They related to people living in the bunker, all small offences, traffic tickets and the like. However, there were also employment records from the BPD, including information on schooling and college qualifications. Jane decided she needed to look through those more carefully because with one of the traitors having such a high security clearance she was concerned they might have a former link to the police department.

By the time we were ready for bed, we had narrowed down the list of BPD security officers who had done college degrees, although only a handful had computer experience. To our surprise we discovered Darren Crowe had been to college and had minored in computer sciences. Despite my thoughts that he was not involved given the way he had changed over the last year, Jane wanted to find where he had been during recent events. Just as we were about to shut things down Barry sent a final email to say he had sorted through most of the college and university files, and they would be ready for our perusal the following day.

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The morning arrived early, and we kept to our normal routine of eating with Cameron before we made our way to the security office to meet up with Barry. As keen as Jane was to get the day moving she didn't want Cameron to notice a change in our routine, and so we chatted happily as we got ready for work and Cameron got ready for school.

"I've got swimming lessons on the beach tomorrow morning," Cameron was telling Jane excitedly. "And I want to show them what you taught me the other day."

"Ah, you mean putting your head under water," Jane guessed.

"Yes," he replied, smiling broadly.

I also smiled as I recalled the way Jane had got Cameron past his fear. She had used the nursery rhyme 'Ring-a-round a Rosie' to make up a game they could play. At the point when Cameron said the line 'we all fall down.' They had both dunked their heads under the water. Soon the youngster was laughing and dunking his head as if he had been doing it all his life.

"Well bud," Jane said as we left our quarters. "I'm helping with the horses on the beach today and probably tomorrow as well. If I get chance I'll have to come along and see how you're doing."

"I'd like that," Cameron said, jumping up and down as he walked along. Finally he calmed down as we reached the classroom, and handing him over to the matronly Mrs Hudson we carried on towards our destination.

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"We've got a lot to get through," were the first words from Barry Frost when we entered the security office.

"You'll let me know the moment you find anything?" Jane said.

"As soon as we know, you'll know," I promised as I lent over for a kiss goodbye. "You go and do your gumshoe thing, and let us do ours."

"Something gets said once," Jane grumbled good-naturedly as she returned the kiss, and giving Barry a wave left us to the long slog.

By lunchtime we had found four more people in New Boston who had degrees that linked them to computers. Unfortunately none of them had a particularly high security clearance, but we put them on our list nevertheless. I took Jane her lunch which allowed us to relax on the beach for an hour. Jane had not spotted anything out of the ordinary and so was keen to hear what we had found out. Equally I had little to report, and sixty minutes later with some regret I pulled myself away from Jane for the afternoon shift.

The afternoon brought a few more results. Barry had to still find the military records, but we'd got so much to go through with just with the college and police records he decided to leave that until we had checked through all the current information.

We were just about to give up for the evening when Barry suddenly muttered. "Well, that's interesting," so quietly I nearly missed what he said, looking towards me he added in a louder voice. "You might want to see this Maura."

Barry was right, I felt a frisson of anticipation when I read the information the younger man had found, added to that was a huge amount of disbelief that I didn't know the man as well as I thought I had.

"Go and tell Jane, I'll keep digging and meet you back at your quarters, give you chance to put Cameron to bed before we go through this in more detail." Barry sounded as shocked as I felt, and I knew Jane wasn't going to take the news well.

I didn't hang around to give Barry a proper goodbye.

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"Are you sure?" Jane almost growled at me when I told her what Barry had discovered.

"Absolutely," I confirmed. "I saw the results myself."

"Could we have been that wrong about him?" Jane said, disbelief at the news warring with her natural like of the man.

"It's possible," I admitted nervously. "But it's not conclusive proof, we still have a lot of records to go through, there could be other suspects we haven't found yet."

"Yeah, but still, Mike… Damn…" Jane trailed off as she shook her head. "He was on the beach today, and I didn't even give him a second glance," the brunette finally admitted.

"Where did he go? Did he do anything that you thought was suspicious?" I asked still reeling from what I had read earlier.

"Well, no," Jane said. "He stopped to talk to me for a moment, and then went for a walk, nothing I haven't seen him do before." Jane started pacing, and I didn't try and stop her, she needed to get rid of some of the tension that was evident. Finally she settled down and said. "Okay, the first thing we need to do is track his movements during the incidents, see if we can pin down his whereabouts on those days. Frost should be here any minute, maybe he'll have more news for us."

I quietly made my way over to Jane's side, and wrapped the fingers of my left hand through Jane's right. "It could just be a coincidence," I needlessly explained.

Jane ran her free hand through her hair in agitation. "I know, I know, but we can't discount him until we know more. God, I hope you're right and he has nothing to do with this. I would never have believed it of Mike. And if Mike's involved we have to then put Bruce back onto the list of suspects, and I'd hate that even more."

That was a scenario I didn't want to contemplate, I couldn't believe the older man was embroiled in a traitorous plot against New Boston.

There was a sudden knocking at the door, and I went over to let Barry Frost into our quarters, he took a quick look at Jane before saying. "I know we can't discount those we've already found, but I've found somebody else who fits the profile, and given what I know about him, I think he could be our computer man."

You could have almost seen the wave of relief leaving me and Jane. It was so instant and heartfelt it seemed to roll around the room for a moment before dissipating.

"Who," Jane demanded to know. Barry gave his findings in a precise and quick manner, covering the salient points easily.

"It's him," I said instantly.

"How do you know?" Jane asked looking surprised at my conviction.

"It just is," I began to say, not sure how I could explain the strength of my uncorroborated feelings. It was something I'd never felt before and it was unnerving to say the least.

"Is this what going with your gut feels like?" I looked at Jane in amazement as I asked her the question. "Because it's tremendously disconcerting."

Jane laughed lightly. "Wow, I can't say I've ever seen you look so worried by a statement not based on fact before, but something must have triggered you to say that because you're not breaking out in hives."

Taking a moment to gauge my response, I soon realized Jane was correct in her assessment. I was not experiencing any of the symptoms I would normally expect if I had been stating a dishonest fact. However, I could not think what I might have known subconsciously that made me so sure I was right.

"Okay, I'm calling Frankie to join us. And then, given Maur's gut feeling, how do we go about setting this trap and making sure one way or the other?" Jane finally said.

It took most of the evening, but finally we had a plan we were happy to take to Sean Cavanagh first thing in the morning, and Jane and I stumbled into bed exhausted by yet another long day.

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Sean pinned us all with a look. "You're confident this will work?" He directed the question at Jane.

"Yes Sir," she replied with supreme assurance, so like the detective she had been. "With the patrol going out this morning I'm sure he will be making his move around the same time. Only today we'll be ready for him."

"Alright," the security chief finally said. "It's a go, get the armaments you need and I'll set things up from my end. Good luck people."

"Thank you sir."

And we all left without another word, dropping Barry off at the security office. With his broken arm it had been decided he would be better off monitoring things from there. Now he knew who to keep an eye on it should make his life much easier when tracking their progress. Jane and I both made our way outside after we wished Frankie good luck with his part of the plan, and then we busied ourselves with the horses until it was time to put the whole thing into action.

Nervously I waited, not as used to this type of operation as Jane. She smiled at me, recognizing my apprehension, but knowing there was very little she could do for me other than stick to the plan. After thirty agonizing minutes the security patrol arrived and we handed over the horses in our care for their operation. Half the men would scout ahead on horseback, leaving the other half on foot to make a more detailed search. Once they were far enough away from the bunker Frankie and three other officers would break off from the search and make their way back into New Boston via the emergency entrance. Barry Frost would then use the cameras to guide Frankie and one officer into the power plant room so they could avoid other people on route. The remaining officers would split up and stake out two further engineering rooms of importance. Jane and I were guarding the beach in case our suspect realized he was discovered and tried to slip away. For the next few hours it would be a waiting game.

After an hour of inactivity I was drawn by the children's laughter and I turned to see Cameron's class making their way onto the beach for their swimming lesson. I took a moment to watch his animated discussion with Brad, arms waving as the youngster made his point.

"Despite it all it's good to see the children so happy isn't it?" Jane whispered into my ear.

"Yes," I smiled. "Yes it is." However, before I could say anymore the earpieces that we both wore, which were attached to the security radio system on a secure frequency crackled into life.

"Subject spotted," Barry's terse voice sounded slightly distorted. "And just like we suspected he's heading towards the power plant."

"Copy that," Frankie acknowledged the information. "We're in position."

"He's past the infirmary now, should be with you any minute, going to radio silence."

Not wanting anything to tip the suspect off, we'd agreed to a radio silence except in an emergency, the last thing Jane wanted was an errant sound from the earpieces giving away Frankie's position. Tense seconds ticked by, the sounds of our breathing the only thing I was aware of, when suddenly there was a loud bang, as if a metal door had clattered open. That was followed by a scuffling noise, and then suddenly Frankie's voice broke through the earpieces. "He's made us," the sound of gunfire interrupting the younger Rizzoli. Jane went rigid for a moment before barking into her radio. "Give me a report Frankie!" However all we heard were more shots being fired.

"Dammit," Jane turned as if to go and help her brother but was stopped when she heard his panting voice in her ear say. "Man down, Mathews has been hit, we need medics. Jane the bastard is heading your way, hand him his ass on a plate for me."

While I made contact with Barry to make sure a medical team was being sent to the power plant Jane had started to make her way towards the axillary entrance only to come to a skidding halt, drawing her weapon as Peter Wright came barreling out of the doorway. "Halt," she commanded. "There's nowhere left for you to run, give it up Wright."

"No chance," he sneered as leveled his own handgun towards Jane. "You and your fucking mightier than thou friends can go fuck themselves."

"I won't warn you again," Jane growled, her hands tightening around the grip of her gun. "Put the gun down and surrender."

He laughed, "Hah, you'll have to shoot me first bitch."

"Don't think I won't," the tall woman warned.

At that exact moment Bruce happened to emerge from the exit, coming to a stop when he realized what was going on, and in that split second of distraction Peter had spun around and charged towards the schoolchildren. "JANE!" I screamed in horror as I watched him grab hold of Cameron, placing the boy like a shield in front of him.

"Not so tough now are you Rizzoli," Peter sneered as he edged his way towards the only horse left on the beach that was tacked up and used to being ridden. Jane was shaking from the effort it took not to take a shot at the man there and then. The fury fairly radiated from her.

"Let him go!" Jane enounced very clearly and in a voice that was ice cold, betraying none of the fear that she must have been feeling.

I was struck mute for a moment, rooted to the spot from the emotional terror which was almost unbearable. "Oh please God don't let him hurt Cameron," I finally whispered into the wind.

"It's okay Mama," Cameron said softly, looking Jane right in the eye. "I'll be alright."

Upon hearing the endearment for the first time tears streaked down my cheeks, Jane stood dumbstruck for a moment before she replied in an equally soft tone. "I'll make sure you get away safely bud, I promise. I love you"

"I know you will Mama. I love you and Mommy."

"And as very touching as this little family scene is," Peter made Cameron whimper slightly as he pulled on the boys arm, which in turn caused Jane's lips to curl up as she snarled. "I'm leaving, and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

Reaching for the reins, the Doctor pulled the horse towards the headland and made his way into the sea. The moment Jane realized what he was doing she holstered her gun, sprinted across the sand towards the corrals and called out. "Maura, get over here."

Forcing my shaking legs and leaden feet to move, I did as Jane had asked, and watched slightly detached from reality as Jane undid the corral gate, used the fence as a mounting block, and jumped on Walterine's back before she reached down to take hold of a rope to attach onto the mare's halter, and using only that and her legs Jane had the mare cantering towards me. Reaching down Jane swung me up until I was sitting behind her, and as if sensing the urgency, Walterine barely broke stride as she headed into the water after Peter.

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We emerged from the sea a couple of minutes after Peter had mounted his horse and headed off into the woodland. Cameron clasped in front of the saddle, tears dripping down the boy's face.

"I'm going to fucking kill him" Jane muttered, the fury within her still spilling out like a swell of unstoppable emotion, almost hotter than lava from a volcano. "He's a fucking dead man!" And kicking Walterine back into a canter we followed into the gloom of the trees.

Tracking Peter was easy, not only was he making a lot of noise, he was pushing through the undergrowth, leaving an obvious path in his wake. Suddenly it went quiet, and Jane pulled on the halter to get the black mare to stop. "He's got help out here," Jane said with absolute certainty. And lifting one leg over Walterine's neck she slid silently to the ground, handing me the halter rope as she did so. "Wait here," she commanded quietly. I nodded, knowing Jane would be back soon. Blending effortlessly into the undergrowth Jane slipped away in complete silence. And despite everything, a clinical part of me knew I would have to investigate that ability once all of this was over, it was fascinating to watch somebody slip into such a natural stealth mode.

Craning my ears to listen for any possible noise, I failed to notice Jane's return until she was right on top of me, making me jump and clasp my hand to my chest in fright. "God, you scared me," I whispered as I dismounted.

"Sorry," Jane replied quietly. "I was right, there are three more of them, and I recognize a certain asshole from our hospital encounter."

"Greg," I hissed angrily, remembering the mental and physical damage he had inflected on Lydia.

Jane just nodded her eyes hardening. "This is what I want to do." Before she could continue we heard a rustling noise behind us and swinging around Jane had her gun drawn in a split second, only to be greeted by Frankie and Bruce emerging from the ferns and brambles. Both were heavily armed. "Even better," Jane snarled, causing the two men to take a step backwards in fear before they realized Jane's anger wasn't directed at them. And in all honesty, I wasn't that far behind the brunette when it came to how much anger I felt towards Peter for kidnapping Cameron.

"Jane," Bruce made his way to her side slowly, obviously recognizing her emotional state. "God, I'm so sorry, I just heard the commotion outside the door and came to see if I could help. If I'd known the children were out there I would have never have done that."

"It's not your fault Bruce," and for the first time since the beach Jane's voice wavered with reaction. "Cameron, he called me Mama, and Maura Mommy, we have to get him back safely. We have to get our boy back. Oh God, if anything happens to him."

"I know sweetheart, I know," and in a fatherly gesture that I had never seen Jane's real Father provide, the older man wrapped his arms around the tall woman, finally allowing Jane to cry into his chest. I realized I was also crying when Frankie came over and hugged me, whispering into my ear. "We'll get Cameron back Maura and Peter's going to pay for this, I promise."

Ten long minutes later both Jane and I had managed to work through our tears, leaving us both clear headed for the task ahead. Jane looked embarrassed by her emotional breakdown, but sensing her uneasiness Bruce cleverly steered the conversation and attention back towards Jane's plan to rescue Cameron.

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	20. Chapter 20: One Traitor Down

**Authors Note: Again, thank you for all the reviews, follows, and story alerts. **

**I promise I do read and appreciate each review, please continue to let me know what you think of the story. **

**This chapter has not been beta read so I'm sorry if there are any glaring errors. If you spot anything major please do let me know so I can correct it, especially as I have an incredibly bad habit of thinking one word and typing another. This has already happened in another story and it was kindly pointed out to me, which allowed me to edit the mistake. I **_**really**_** hate making mistakes. :o)**

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Chapter 20: One Traitor Down.

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The tension was palpable, and following Jane into the woodland I hoped Walterine would be alright tied up where she was. We'd debated taking the black mare with us, but she would have made more noise than we could afford. Bruce had gone with Frankie and once I'd caused a distraction they would make the initial attack on Peter and his group, Jane then hoped to get close enough to Cameron to shield him from any harm. Carefully we made our way through the undergrowth, following the silent hand directions Jane gave me, and as she'd promised we came upon the clearing that had been strengthened by hastily made defensive wooden palisades. I couldn't see anything but I could hear Peter talking in a low tone of voice. Checking her watch Jane counted down from the five minute mark. On her signal I let loose an arrow from the bow that Frankie had brought with him. We had lit the end, and aiming for a dry patch of ground cover we watched in satisfaction as it burst into flames, driven by the dry weather and wind. Rushing to tamp down the flames, two of the group failed to notice Jane emerging from the brush next to where they were desperately trying to stop the fire from spreading.

With grim satisfaction I watched as the brunette moved with extreme stealth into the small compound, and giving her the extra half minute she'd asked for, I let another arrow fly through the air, landing ten foot from the first. This time it was not lit, but I hoped to distract attention from the opposite side, which was where Bruce and Frankie were emerging from. Hearing Peter's voice hollering to his men to get back inside the relative safety of the palisades, I moved for a better view inside. Unable to see Cameron or Jane all I could do was wait until Bruce and Frankie were in place, and before I could wonder any further the older man had arrived and I let loose a third arrow as Bruce fired a handgun at the first rogue who spotted him. Instantly Peter was down to three cohorts, and there followed an exchange of gunfire, all attention focused on the point where Bruce was, which mean I was able to get right inside the compound. Finding a pile of barreled food and water I hid behind that and watched as Frankie arrived behind Bruce and joined in the gun battle. Peter and his gang were hidden behind an internal wooden wall, and I realized that must have been where Cameron was, because he wasn't in sight. One of the bullets found a mark with a second gang member, and he fell to the floor disabled by a serious shoulder wound. That left Peter and Greg and one unknown person, and we seemed to be at an impasse because they were too well concealed to locate a target. Silence suddenly fell, and after a moment Peter called out. "You won't win this, and if you come any closer I will kill the boy." The smell of cordite hung in the air, a menacing reminder of the power of gunpowder, and it slowly drifted with the wind.

"You know if you harm him you'll never get away from here alive," Jane's disemboweled voice echoed around the space, but I was unable to pin down her exact location. "Give up now, and I might not do any more than beat you to a bloody pulp."

"And why should I believe you Detective?" Peter made sure of saying Jane's former title with hatred in his voice.

"Because I always keep my word, plus I wouldn't do anything that would make Maura unhappy, and if I was lying to you it would make her very unhappy." Unlike Peter Jane's tone was measured and controlled.

"Ah, the wondrous Doctor Isles, the perfect fucking person who can never do any wrong and is placed on a pedestal by the fucking council and gets it all handed to her on a plate, including one of the best fucking quarters in the bunker. What did that fucking bitch ever do to deserve finding her precious police Detective to use the antidote on? Hmm, what makes her so fucking special? I should be the one the council turn to, and it should be me that gets the special treatment." By the end of the monologue Peter was ranting, and sounded completely irrational.

I heard a deep growl, and was startled when I realized it had come from Jane and not a wild animal as I'd initially assumed. _'Hold it together sweetheart,' _I thought. '_He's only using nasty words against me. Don't let him get to you.'_

Then much to my relief I heard, in a very meticulous voice which to me indicated she was obviously struggling to hold in her anger, Jane's reply. "She didn't have to do anything. Maura could have kept the bunker all to herself, just having her family and friends there. Instead she opened it up to help save people, and that's why the council think so much of her, because she is a genuinely decent human being. And that being truly decent is a concept you seem to be unable to grasp."

"NO, she makes us look weak, a fucking laughing stock, and it can't be allowed to continue. When I heard the plan I knew it was the right thing to do, she needed to know what it was like to suffer, just like the rest of us had."

Nervously I looked towards Bruce and Frankie, Peter seemed to be slipping into some kind of psychotic break and I still couldn't work out where Cameron was.

"She did suffer," amazingly Jane was keeping her rage at bay somehow. "She lost her Father and her Mother's fate is unknown..."

"Pah!" Peter interrupted. "Parents who never truly loved her, who treated her more like a possession than a daughter, they were no loss. I was so happy that the true leader of the bunker trusted me with his plan, he will rule supreme by the time the week is out, and there will be nothing you can do about it."

Suddenly I could see what was happening, Peter in his righteous anger had moved out beyond the wooden shield, Cameron being dragged behind him, a 9mm randomly being waved around in his other hand. Almost before I could think we all surged forward, Jane emerged from a slight hollow in the ground directly in front of the other Doctor. First of all she grabbed Cameron and handed him my way. I spun with the boy clinging against my chest and headed back towards the shelter of the barrels. Greg and the unknown man had come out from behind the shelter in the chaos and leveled guns our way, but they weren't quick enough as Frankie and Bruce both took the shot, neither missed and I suspect the men died instantly. That left Peter, and Jane had tackled him to the ground the moment Cameron left her grip. Seeing the struggle I could only watch in horror when the gun in Peter's hand was lost between them, and suddenly a shot ran out, both bodies stilling.

In fear I ran forward, and just as I reached them Jane rolled off Peter and groaned, shaking out her left fist. "Ah shit, that hurt," she moaned, the red splash of blood bright against the lower edge of her leather shirt.

"Oh God, Jane, are you alright?" Fumbling for the other woman I was stopped when she leaned over and with her free hand halted my frantic attempts to check her over. "I'm fine," Jane promised. "Well, apart from that bullet coming out of the gun red hot, I think I might have a small burn on my hand from where it skimmed me." Looking down at the blood she added. "Ah no, he bled all over me, and I rather liked this shirt it was comfortable."

I looked closer, and to my relief I realized Jane was functioning perfectly well, and so I turned to see that Peter was lying still. Moving to check him, I was not surprised to find no pulse.

"Damn, he's dead?" Jane asked as she stood and made her way to my side.

I nodded knowing Jane would be upset because she'd wanted the man alive so she could question him. Then I turned again as Cameron came running over. He launched himself at us, Jane was nearest and Cameron landed in her arms before he lent over to clasp me around an arm, ending up in a bit of an ungainly mess between us. "Mama, Mommy, I knew you'd find me," he cried, sobbing with his head against Jane's chest. "I'm so happy you found me."

Stroking his hair soothingly Jane murmured into his ear. "I promised buddy, and we love you so much."

"Are you ready to go home son of ours?" I asked gently, and blinked in surprise when Bruce appeared with Walterine in tow. I smiled as I added. "And look who we can ride back, would you like that?"

"Yes Mommy," Cameron was still crying, but it was rapidly easing, thanking Bruce and Frankie I got a leg up, and took hold of Cameron while Jane made her way aboard the black mare.

"We'll take care of things here. You get that little angel home." Bruce said gruffly, tears clearly shimmering in his eyes when he watched the way Cameron and Jane cuddled up against each other. Shaking his head when he saw I was about to check on his statement and make sure they were truly happy at being left to clear up the mess he added. "We won't be long, you need to get back and spend some time together, and I'll get Frankie to call in on you with the news when we get back."

I mouthed my thanks, and taking the ropes Walterine reacted calmly to my aids, and walked us home.

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Angela had been waiting frantically for our return, and once we got back into the bunker had rushed over and taken hold of Cameron, needing the tactile assurance he was alright. After several minutes she had promised to bring us all some dinner because it was late in the day. Recognizing that Cameron wanted to spend his time with us, Angela had left us, but not after hugging the life out of both me and Jane upon hearing that Cameron was now calling us Mama and Mommy. And when he had cuddled the older Rizzoli goodbye, calling her Nonna it was all we could do not to cry uncontrollably. It was an emotional end to an incredibly emotional and trying day.

It had been three hours since we'd arrived back at the shelter and Cameron refused to let either me or Jane out of reach. He clung like a limpet the entire time, and Jane was infinitely patient with him, constantly reassuring and comforting Cameron when he got overly worried. I stayed with them, but I had to use most of the time on the phone debriefing Sean, Vince and Barry, and deciding what statement we were going to make to the rest of the council. We may have located Peter, but it was obvious from his rant out in the wilderness that there was still a danger to New Boston. Although Bruce had said he would send Frankie with news, I left a message that we would like Bruce to also come to our quarters. Jane and I both wanted to thank him in person.

Feeling that Cameron was finally relaxing Jane asked him if he wanted to go for a walk with Jo, and we both smiled at his first uninhibited happy reaction of the evening when he bounced up and down in excitement. I watched fondly as they left.

Bruce and Frankie arrived while Jane and Cameron were gone, and letting them into our quarters I gave both men a huge hug and said quietly. "Thank you, I don't know what we would have done if anything had happened to Cameron. "

"Anything for family, you know that," Frankie said, the emotion evident in his voice.

Turning my attention to Bruce I said. "You helped bring our boy back to us, and you've already saved me from serious injury. I don't know if we will ever be able to repay you."

Suspiciously rubbing a hand along his face and over his eyes as if to hide his emotion Bruce replied. "You guys are so good together, the thought that somebody was willing to not only put the bunker at risk, but was prepared to hurt a young boy was something I couldn't let happen. I'll be always be there for you." And without warning he picked me up in a bear hug and whispered. "Cameron reminds me of my former cousins' son, they were all killed by the virus. If you want to do something, let me think of Cameron as part of my family as well."

Putting me down and stepping back before I could answer Bruce coughed and cleared his throat saying seriously. "We cleared up. The wounded man had bled out by the time you left, so we carried the bodies out to the quarry pit. There were a few provisions that we could have brought back, but apart from the weapons, I decided they were better off being placed in the storage area we use for the transient groups. We found no written notes, or information anywhere that might have helped with the investigation into the other traitor."

I nodded my understanding. Burying bodies in the current climate was both dangerous and impractical, and so we used a large quarry inland as a place to house any corpses we came across. That way we helped keep the remains away from people and lessened the risk of disease. And if the provisions were already geared up to be carried by a group it made sense to add that to our outside stockpiles. I had hoped there might be something in the rogue groups' camp that would help us understand how the traitor was communicating with the outside world. However, it was not a total surprise there was no evidence. So far the saboteur had managed to keep his tracks well hidden.

Before we could continue the door opened and Jane and Cameron arrived, and seeing the other men the boy rushed over and hugged Frankie first, saying. "Uncle Frankie, Jo was a naughty dog and chased Brad's cat, but she stopped when Mama told her off."

Laughing Frankie hugged the boy back and said. "I'm glad you were able to stop Jo, we're going to go soon, let you guys get some rest, but we just wanted to make sure you were alright."

"I'm happy, thank you for helping to get me," Cameron said, turning towards Bruce and shyly reaching out to the older man. After Bruce had bent down to pick him up Cameron looked at Jane as if asking her something, and wordless she nodded, encouraging him. "When I asked her, Mama said it would be alright if I called you Uncle Bruce. It is alright isn't it?" He said timidly.

Bruce laughed his deep voice melodic sounding. "Of course that's alright shrimp, I know your Mama and Mommy love you very much, as do Nonna, Uncle Frankie, and Uncle Tommy, but I love you as well. If you ever need help you come and see me, alright."

"Alright," Cameron snuggled down into Bruce's solid presence, and finally the day caught up to him and he started to yawn, his eyelids drooping.

Jane came over and reaching to wrap an arm around my waist she said. "And I think as Cameron's newest Uncle you've earned the right to put buddy there to bed."

Bruce looked up surprised. "Really? He said eagerly, the idea obviously appealing to him.

I smiled up at the brunette at my side and said. "Yes, really, remember, you're like family and it's what family do for each other."

I don't think a hurricane could have wiped the smile off Bruce's face when he carried Cameron through into his bedroom.

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Wondering what we were going to do to try and find the other traitor, we left Cameron with Angela for the day, Mrs Hudson had called to find out how he was and recommended he stay at home for twenty-four hours and we readily agreed. Angela had been thrilled to spend the extra time with her Grandson, using the new title for Cameron at every opportunity, both of them grinning wildly whenever it happened. Meeting Barry on the way back to our quarters, where we'd decided to hold the meeting, he was quick to tell us how pleased he was to know Cameron was back safely.

Vince and Sean arrived together, with Bruce, Tommy and Frankie the last to arrive. Barry Frost hooked up his laptop, and once people had found a place to perch we began to discuss our options.

"We have until the end of the week to catch this bastard," Jane said. "Whatever he has planned is already in place, and we've somehow got to play catch up, we need to find him, and fast."

"I've finally pinned down all the military records," Barry said. "And I started to go through them last night. So far nothing of interest, but I wondered if I could set up a programme to just filter out the records from Vietnam, that would speed things up."

"Do it," Jane and Sean said together, before Jane added looking at her former Lieutenant. "Sorry, I didn't mean to override your orders as security chief."

"As far as I'm concerned the moment they snatched Cameron this was your show to run Rizzoli," Sean said. "I've set up the rota to allow you all to spend your time on this, do what you need to do."

"Thank you," Jane and I both said because Sean was showing Jane a huge amount of trust by offering her a free rein to catch the traitor.

"Okay," Jane said after a slight pause. "Here's what I want to do, we need to go through those records, and they're going to be our best bet to track down this guy. Apart from Tommy I want all your laptops updated with the new data as and when Frost finds things, Frankie, you help Frost on his end, and if anybody finds anything you report directly to both me and Cavanagh. No heroics, this guy is dangerous and I don't want to take chances. Tommy, the best I've saved for you, see if any of your outside contacts have heard any rumors. The smallest whiff of communication could really help us narrow down how he's getting word out to his rogue friends."

Tommy smirked. "I know just the people, they might be rough and ready, but they're trustworthy. And I bet if I asked them they'd set up hidden observation posts outside the bunker. All they'll ask for in return is some extra food and general supplies."

Jane nodded. "Sounds like a fair exchange, get it set up, great idea, thanks Bro."

Tommy grinned at the praise and said. "I'm outta here, and I'll let you know as soon as I have any news." Clapping Jane on the shoulder he left the meeting.

"Right, I know it'll be boring, but get back to secure quarters and start the search, Frost can work from here for the moment, and our quarters are the main meeting place from now on. Maura and I need to make a report to the council, plus we want to pass on the news to Lydia that Greg is dead, somehow we think she'll be pleased to hear that update. We'll meet back here later to look at all you've found so far." Jumping down from the counter where she was sitting Jane said. "Let's get going, the sooner we get things moving the better."

Saying their goodbyes Vince and Sean left, and we abandoned Frankie and Barry to their work. Meeting the council the story we gave out was that Peter had a personal vendetta against me, which was not incorrect, and that had been the reason for his actions the day before. Universally the council decided that the explanation was a fair one. And expressing their sorrow that Cameron had been targeted they were also pleased that he had been returned to the bunker safely. Next order of business was to find a replacement for Peter as section head the trauma unit, and Elizabeth and I both put forward the name of a promising young Doctor by the name of Katie Mossel. A talented physician, she had not been liked by Peter, and Graham and I had put her in charge of the equivalent of a neurological unit. It was a waste of her talents and so it was nice to finally have her doing a job that showcased her abilities. Graham would tell her the news the moment the council broke up.

After that Jane and I made our way to the infirmary, and once we'd being cleared by the security guard we entered the room that was housing Lydia Sparks. She was in bed when we got there, and looked up startled when we arrived.

"Hello," I said gently. "How are you feeling?"

Nervously Lydia picked at the bed linens, but she was able to look at us without the same fear in her face as before. "I'm doing okay, and the people here have been really good to me."

Pleased to hear her talking without a stutter I gestured to the chairs in the room. "That's nice to hear. May we sit down?"

"Oh, oh, yes of course, sorry." Lydia looked worried again, as if she had broken some cardinal rule and was expecting to be punished.

"Nothing to apologize for," Jane said reassuringly as we sat down. "We have some news that we thought you might like to hear."

"Really," Lydia looked puzzled. "I can't imagine what news you'd have for me."

Reaching over I took one of Lydia's hands in my own. "It's about Greg," I said, seeing the way the poor woman tensed and started to hyperventilate at the mere mention of the man's name. "He was killed yesterday in a fight outside the bunker. You no longer have to fear him."

Tears gathered in the other woman's eyes and she finally managed to say. "He's dead, for real?"

"For real," Jane said. "We were there when it happened. He was killed instantly, which did disappoint me somewhat, I would have loved to beat him up a little for what he did to you."

"Jane," I admonished. "Revenge only lowers you to their level, try not to think about that."

"Sit there and tell me you wouldn't have willingly done the same to Peter for kidnapping our son," Jane countered, not at all upset by my words.

I hesitated, Jane was right. I wasn't sure how I would have reacted if I had been given that chance with Peter. I had been so angry with him that I had to concede anything was possible. Jane didn't pursue the conversation. She knew I had understood her point. Anger alone and not revenge could be a powerful motivator.

"You have a son?" Lydia asked shyly, breaking into my thoughts.

Jane's face lit up, and I knew mine had as well. "Yeah," Jane said. "A five year old, he's adopted because of the virus, but he's a great kid."

"I think I'd like to be a Mother someday," Lydia said.

"And I'm sure you'd make a great Mom," Jane said, looking back towards the door when it was rapped on before Elizabeth entered.

"Ah, you've heard the news then?" She asked Lydia, who nodded in return.

"Good," turning her attention towards us Elizabeth then said. "Sorry to cut this short, only it's time for Lydia's session with me. Maybe you can pop in again this week if work doesn't get in the way?"

"That would be nice," Jane said as she got up to leave. "And if we can't make it do you think you could cope with my one brother? Tommy's a really great guy and he's off work on the DL at the moment, I expect he'd like the distraction from the boredom."

Lydia smiled. "If he's your brother then that would be alright, thanks."

"Okay, I'll set it up," and smiling Jane led the way back outside.

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Like most things the time was filled by hours of repetitive tasks, with odd moments of excitement as another record was located and added to the list. I hadn't realized how many veterans we had at the shelter, and by the end of the day we'd already located one hundred and nineteen people who had served in the military. Some were female and we felt safe to discount those names from our investigation, however we listed them all for any possible future references. The rest we couldn't discount straight away, although it was fairly easy to pick through the list knowing that the traitor had a high security clearance. We were left with twenty eight in the possible column by the time we stopped, although Jane wasn't that convinced any were the right person. Something about her gut instinct again, and after my experience in identifying Peter I wasn't so quick to dismiss her thoughts on the matter. Frankie joined us for dinner, but Barry made his apologies and went to spend some time with Callie.

Cameron slept well until midnight when he woke us after having a nightmare. Expecting this because of all he had been through, Jane got up and brought him through to our room. He stayed with us until he started to drop back off to sleep, and once he was resettled in his own bed we had a quiet night.

Waking up we knew we were running out of time, if we didn't find anything in the records today, then it was likely the traitors plan could be implemented unheeded. A sense of urgency seemed to fill the air when Barry arrived, and without much conversation we set up the laptops for the day.

It was Jane who discovered the link, and I only knew because she stiffened, got up and stormed out our quarters. Seeing the anger I rushed after her and managed to grab hold of her arm and say quietly so nobody else in the corridor could hear. "Whoever it is we need to deal with it as a unit. No heroics, remember?"

Taking a deep breath Jane said. "Okay, but I get to take him down."

"I think you've earned that right," tugging at her arm I pulled her back into our quarters. "Now let's get everybody over here and you can tell them what you found."

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I knew the men were as shocked as I had been when Jane had shown me what she had uncovered.

"I never would have believed it of the man," Bruce said in a stunned tone of voice. "It just goes to show you think you know somebody when you don't really know them at all."

Sean was looking concerned. "The one thing that worries me is the fact that Peter seemed to indicate that whatever he had planned was already in place and that we would be too late. Normally I would kick this guy out of the shelter without any aid for him, but we need to find out what he's done."

"We all know that Jane Rizzoli is the best in the business," Barry said, the confidence in his former partner unwavering. "Let's pick him up and get him grilled."

"I want to be there," Bruce growled. "If he tries anything I would love the chance to help his face meet the dirt."

Even Jane smiled at the older man's passion before she said. "You know that might not be a bad idea, you could approach him as another Department Head, and that should mean he won't get suspicious and try to make a run for it, I can come up on the pretense of looking for Bruce."

"Do it," said Sean. "I'll set up an interview room in the isolation suite so we can observe and record what is going on. You can go and bring him in for questioning in twenty minutes."

"Just enough time to pack all this away," Barry said. "I'm not missing this for the world."

"Same here," said Frankie and he helped the other man clear up the mess, while Sean left to set up the room for the upcoming interview.

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"Hey," said Bruce as he entered the infirmary. "Have you got a minute?"

Graham looked up from the report he was writing, and seeing the other Department Head smiled and put down his fountain pen. "Yes, of course, what can I do for you? Are you suffering with problems from your injury site?"

"No, nothing like that," the large man waved a hand dismissively. "I was just wondering if you had the reports from last week's council meeting, only I seem to have misplaced mine."

"Yes," Graham had a rummage through the papers on his desk. "I keep telling you that you need to get more in tune with using a computer, it would make things so much easier for you." He paused before pulling a folder free. "Ah, here you go."

Jane made her entrance, "Bruce, just the man I was looking for, sorry Graham, I hope you don't mind me butting in?"

Now Jane knew what she was looking for she saw it, a slight flash of anger across Graham's eyes before they settled back to normal. "Of course not," he said quickly.

"Thanks," Jane said and she turned to Bruce. "Well, you know why I'm here." Smiling as she spoke, Bruce responded with a feral grin of his own.

"Yes Detective, let's do this," he replied happily, and he turned towards Graham, blocking the exit, as Jane moved to take hold of an arm. Quicker than Jane or Bruce anticipated Graham took a swing at the former Detective. Jane ducked, and instantly had her own fist connecting with the Doctors jaw. Bruce moved swiftly, and using his superior height and weight tackled the other man to the floor. Smiling in satisfaction when she heard the Doctor grunt as his face came in contact with the ground, Jane placed her knee on top of Graham's neck and kept his head pushed into the floor. Before the Doctor could react any further, he found both arms behind his back and handcuffs being placed over his wrists.

"This would be the point where I would read you your Miranda rights, but there is no need for that here. However, these are your rights in accordance with New Boston rules. Doctor Graham Blake, I am detaining you on suspicion of treason towards New Boston. You will be interrogated on this matter, if you wish another person to be present during questioning somebody can be appointed on your behalf through the council. Do you understand these rights?"

"Yes," Graham snarled in return, frowning at Bruce when he'd moved to take hold of the Doctor opposite to Jane. "I might have known you'd fall into place behind these freaks, such a lapdog, no backbone of your own."

Bruce laughed. "And with those words you've just confirmed your guilt in the matter." Reaching over he gave Jane a high five, pleased they had got the right man.

Between them they led Graham out of the infirmary and made the short walk to the isolation suites, ready for the interrogation.

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	21. Chapter 21: One Traitor to Go

**Authors notes: Sorry they are longer than normal. **

**Thank you ssa-rtune for the beta read, although any remaining mistakes are mine and mine alone. If you spot anything major please feel free to let me know, especially as I have a bad habit of thinking one word and typing another!**

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**In reply to one reviewer, Mike was a red herring, sorry if it caused any confusion. Please feel free to send me reviews, I do read and appreciate each and every one.**

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_**I must also say thank you for my nominations in the Rizzles fanfic awards, both for Courting Disaster and as a new author, please go and vote for me if you've enjoyed my stories. Although it was humbling and unexpected to just get this far.**_

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**Sorry for the slight delay from my normal posting times. Some of it was real life because I like to write when I know I can get a good day in. This allows me to focus unhindered for several hours and lets the muse flow. And as of late I've not had as many of those days as I would have liked.**

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**More importantly, I delayed posting thanks to the awful events in Boston because this chapter deals with explosions. It seemed crass to post something like the following chapter so close to the event.**

**Although I am from the UK Boston was a city Dad knew well from work, and he loved the place. This attack reminded me of the awful explosions we used to get in the UK from the IRA, indeed we had a fire bomb which happened in our county town many years ago, a place as idyllic and peaceful as you could imagine.**

**And I can also remember our school being evacuated at least twice when we were about 6 years old because of bomb threats …. Believe me when I say that is something that stays with you! Although the school was amazing, the teachers being calm and collected not adding to the worry we all felt at that time. **

**If the terrorists aim for fear they never fully succeed, however, I remember the relief felt in the UK after the IRA stopped bombing, and it saddens me that this is still going on all these years later in another guise. *shakes head***

**It never fails to amaze me that these people think this sort of thing is the answer to differences. My thoughts and prayers are with those affected.**

**One thing we should be thankful for is the number of medical personnel of all types who were already on site in Boston, I expect some lives will have been saved as a result. Our family has close ties with UK medical personnel, the UK police - including very specialist police roles - the UK fire department and the UK armed forces, and I am always intensely proud of any member of those services who do so much for others, no matter where in the world they reside.**

**So, for all the reasons above, this chapter is dedicated to all those caught up with the cowardly Boston bombings, as well as for all those who have been affected by any terrorist act.**

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Chapter 21: One Traitor to Go.

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Sitting looking supremely confident Graham didn't seem at all concerned by his present predicament.

"He's too relaxed," Jane said as she watched the Doctor through the observation glass. "Whatever he had planned is going to happen despite him being caught."

"He's going to expect you to lose your temper with him," I decided, looking at the man's facial reactions closely. "As far as he's concerned he's got the moral high ground and if you react negatively that will only reinforce his view."

Bruce Thompson, Barry Frost, Frankie Rizzoli and Sean Cavanaugh had all joined us to watch the interrogation, although none of them said anything.

Just then we were interrupted by Elizabeth entering the observation room. "I've just heard," she said making her way to the glass divide, shaking her head in disbelief. "Peter I could understand, but not Graham."

We waited, allowing the other Doctor to form her own opinion of the man sitting in front of us, finally she said. "He's calm, too self-assured. I'm sorry Jane, but I don't think you should question him, he wants you to be the one to talk to him, that's why we need to send in Maura with you so she can ask the questions."

"What?" I said in surprise. "I have no experience in questioning suspects, what good would I do?"

"I understand you once interviewed Charles Hoyt Maura. I'd say that makes you qualified, especially since the circumstances are not too dissimilar. It's not going to be so much about what he does or doesn't say, but what his facial expressions will tell you. Having Jane there in a purely observational role will be distracting for him, and that's what you need, a distraction because anything else is not going to get answers out of the man."

"So I just need to lean on the wall and look threatening?" Jane smirked.

Elizabeth smirked back. "Well, not too threatening, but yes, essentially that's what I want you to do."

Jane shrugged, and her lips pursed in a half smile. "I think I can manage that but if he goes to hurt Maura then all bets are off!"

Elizabeth smiled and leaned over to pat Jane's cheek. "My dear, if he goes for Maura you'll have to fight the rest of us off with a stick. We'll all want a piece of the man."

"Too damned right!" Jane declared, obviously pleased by the way people wanted to protect me. "Okay, let's get this over with, after you," and she waved the way forward. I smiled and entered the room.

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Sitting opposite Graham I took a moment to watch him watching us. I could feel Jane's presence behind me and knew from previous experience at the BPD she had taken up a stance leaning against the wall, ankles and arms crossed with a look of indifference on her face. I tried to mirror that look, but it was hard when I had worked so closely with the man for a little over a year. Finally I broke the silence. "Why Graham? Why did you feel the need to betray New Boston?"

He shrugged. "Why not?" He counted, indifferent to my question. He glanced down, and casually cleaned out a fingernail.

"Surely there had to be a reason, and I'd like to know why you couldn't talk to me about your concerns rather than take this course of action?"

Looking up to pierce me with an unwavering gaze, Graham's eye's slid to the side for a second as he took in Jane's posture. "We needed to stop and think about protecting our interests more, the bunker can't afford to be too giving when it comes to helping those affected by the virus. I want to protect our assets for us and us alone. And I'm not the only one here who thinks like this, there are others." Again that quick glance to Jane, and I immediately knew he was lying about other people helping him, he was hoping to draw out a response from the brunette.

"We have no evidence of more people within New Boston being involved in your scheme," I countered quietly.

The gaze settled behind me for a fraction longer this time before Graham replied. "Then you haven't got all the evidence, there is so much you don't know. Maybe your precious Detective isn't as good at her job as everybody seems to claim."

I ignored the comment about Jane. It was an obvious jibe to get me to react negatively so I kept my voice calm. "Would you tell me then, let me know what we're missing?"

The response was instant and harsh. "No!" And for a fraction of a second the blasé attitude broke before Graham was able to pull himself together again.

"What are you frightened of Graham?"

"Nothing," he spat, finally some real emotion showing. "I am afraid of nothing."

I almost turned to watch Jane knowing on some subconscious level that she had shifted her position slightly. Forcing myself to focus on the man in front of me I said. "Everybody is frightened of something. Fear is one of the many emotions that help keep us human."

"Hah, human, we're not human, we're just playing the role, pretending we're doing all this good when all we're doing is dooming the future of the human race, I couldn't let that happen." This time the glare at Jane was unflinching, and Graham appeared to be trying to out-stare the person behind me. Another thing I knew from experience, trying to out glare the former Detective was a mind game he could never win.

"From your reaction I would have to hypothesis that you're scared of Jane." Pushing the other Doctor like that was a risk, but I felt it was worth trying.

And Graham faltered, before he said angrily. "I will never be scared of that fucking freak!"

Jane moved so quietly and so suddenly even I jumped when she slapped her hands onto the metal table, the noise echoing around the room loudly when she said in a low tone. "You should be scared," and as quickly as she had arrived she was gone, and settled back into position behind me almost as though she hadn't flinched a muscle. It had the desired effect when Graham started to talk.

"What happens when the other freaks start living here? They'll start to think they're better than us. Then they'll be forcing the humans out and for what? So that we can say we helped them?!" Graham was ranting directly at Jane now, and I just let him talk, with luck he would let slip the plan against the bunker. "When the access tunnels blow there will be no stopping those who are going to help me reclaim the bunker for the use of the human race alone. Those stupid enough to want the antidote are welcome to it. I never thought it would work, I couldn't believe it when that happened; I had to bring forward my plans to take control." Graham paused, realizing what he had said, and scowling he glared at us both before adding. "I'm not saying any more, you'll never find the explosive before it detonates."

Hearing Jane shift behind me I knew the conversation was over, and without another word I got up and we left the room, solid in our togetherness.

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The moment we got back into the observation room and the door closed, Jane rounded on me and said urgently. "How many access tunnels are there?"

"Twenty," I replied. "But not all of them lead to the exterior of the shelter. I can only think of six that have access to the outside, three vertical going up to the meadow above, and three horizontal that lead to the cliff face."

Before we could say anything else Tommy burst into the room and spotting Jane said. "We've got a big, big problem. That group I told you about were already on their way here, they heard about an attack that was about to be made on New Boston. Only this time there are going to be about one thousand attackers. They're due to descend any moment."

I knew I had paled at the news. And with wide eyes I looked at Jane. "That's going to stretch our weapons resources to the limit."

Jane thought for a moment shaking her head. "Tommy, find out all you can about the attacking force, and if that group of yours want to come inside the shelter to help they're more than welcome. I'd also like to talk to them if I can but I'll understand if they want to get as far away from here as possible. Korsak, get people armed and ready by all the access tunnels, but I don't want anybody other than security with explosive experience in the tunnels themselves." There was a slight pause. "No wait," Jane added earnestly. "Get people who were in Nam looking for the explosives, if he used that method before he's likely to have used it again."

Bruce said, "You can count me in for one tunnel, I'll take the big air vent on the east side, that's the most awkward to get into and I know it from my work."

Jane nodded and Tommy and the older men took off without another word.

Jane turned towards Elizabeth. "Get a triage center sent up, I hope we won't have to fight if we can find the explosives in time, but I want to be ready for possible injuries."

"I'll get right on that," the other Doctor said without hesitation. "Katie Mossel can set up the Trauma Unit. I'll have people reporting directly to her."

"Understood," Jane acknowledged as Elizabeth also left the observation room. "That leaves five tunnels and the main bunker inhabitants. Frost, you go and organize getting people and livestock back inside the shelter, and then I want you to take a small number of defenders to the emergency exit. I don't think that will be compromised but I don't want to take any chances."

Barry started to argue, but Jane cut him off before the first word left his mouth. "No Frost, with your arm you won't be as good in a fight, you know that, but I need somebody we trust at that exit. I understand you want to be there covering my back, that's what always made you such a good partner, but you'll be covering everybody's back doing this."

I could see Barry wasn't looking happy, but finally he nodded his head, and clapping his good hand on Jane's arm he said. "If I hear anything on the radio that indicates you're in trouble I will be there for you partner, orders be damned."

Jane smiled briefly. "I know, thanks, now get outta here."

That left Frankie and Sean; turning to her former Lieutenant Jane said. "Sir, I'll leave you to organize defense in any other areas you feel might be at risk. You know who would be best suited for what job."

"Agreed, we need to keep the entrances guarded whatever happens, I'll go back to the security office and organize things from there. Good luck Rizzoli."

"Thank you Sir," and then we were down to three. Frankie looked at his sister expectantly.

"You're gonna hate me Bro, but I need somebody I trust on this," Jane started to say before Frankie interrupted.

"You want me to guard that piece of shit," the younger Rizzoli didn't sound surprised as he looked through the window at Graham. "Damn it Janie I'm worth more than that and you know it!" For the first time since Jane's return her brother sounded angry at her.

"Frankie, that's not what I think, I really do need somebody I can trust guarding this snake. I think Graham was lying when he said there were other members of New Boston involved in this attack, but if by any chance he was telling the truth I need somebody here who can't be compromised. Nobody is to get in or out of that room. Do you get what I'm saying?" Jane looked at Frankie pleadingly, begging him to understand that this wasn't about protecting her brother, this genuinely was about having somebody that she trusted with her life guarding Graham.

"Fuck Janie," Frankie growled. "I might understand it, but that doesn't mean I have to be happy about this."

"I know," Jane reassured her brother. "And if I had anybody else to guard him I would, but keep your ears on the radio, if I hear of any attempt to try and get him sprung I'll give you a heads up."

Finally Frankie just shook his head and said. "Alright, but you owe me."

Jane grinned. "Fair enough, Maura and I are going to help check the tunnels, and we'll be on radios so at least you'll know what's going on." Jane patted her brother on the back. "We'll be back as soon as we can."

Hugging me goodbye Frankie said to both of us. "Just be careful out there."

Jane's grin grew wider. "Always, see you later."

And with that we were on our way to the central room where we knew Vince Korsak would be setting up his command area.

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Again the bunker was responding like a well-oiled machine. We often held defense drills against attack, although we had never thought we'd need to take into account a traitor from inside New Boston. Joining Vince in the main central room, we elbowed our way past the queues of people who were waiting to be armed. Mike was at the older man's side, and when he saw me approach with Jane he nudged Vince to get his attention. Looking over to where we were Korsak waved us across and handed over the task of arming people to one of the other security personnel. The four of us made our way to a quieter part of the room. "We have one tunnel left to investigate. People are already checking the rest, Mike will join you."

"Which tunnel is it?" I asked jostled by passing people.

"The side tunnel that emerges at the top of the cliff, do you know which one I mean?" Vince had to raise his voice to make himself heard over the clamor of voices and rattling armaments.

I nodded. It was the tunnel I had been in the day of the first anniversary of our arrival in New Boston, the one where Angela had found me with that welcomed mug of coffee.

"Has anything been found?" Jane asked while we fitted ourselves with radios and earpieces, Jane added extra ammunition to her belt, and I took control of a crossbow and a quiver of bolts.

Nodding Vince started to lead the way towards the tunnel. "Bruce has reported in, his tunnel is clear, he was heading out to help the people in the one next door to his. The group Tommy saw have arrived and were helping him shore up the defense of the main entrance. I had a quick word with their leader, no point in you talking to him, they didn't know any more than they told Tommy."

"Well, that was better than nothing," Jane admitted. "At least we got a heads up of some kind, knowing the strength of the attack has given us enough time to arm everybody."

Various voices crackled in my ear as security made their numerous reports. "Re-tune to channel twelve," Vince told us as he nodded his assent at Jane's words. "We're keeping that channel clear for tunnel clearance and main entrance security only."

Satisfied we were as equipped as we could be, Mike picked up a small tool kit and leaving Vince to his task we made our way out to the tunnel.

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Two minutes before we entered the tunnel a male voice in my ear said. "This is security three. We have contact with an unknown device, over."

We all glanced at each other. Jane palmed her radio. "This is security one. What does it look like security three? Over."

"It looks to be a cylinder connected to the entrance door closure, not big, but enough to compromise the locks if it blows, I can't see a trigger at the current time, over."

Leaving her radio silent for a moment Jane finally pressed the button and said. "Korsak, what sort of trigger switch would you expect on these things?"

"Clock timer," the older man said without hesitation. "A radio controlled device would be more accurate, but unlikely given the materials available, it's probably hidden underneath the canister."

Although Vince wasn't there Jane nodded at his information and keyed her radio again. "Security three, did you hear that? Look for a clock timer, likely under the device, over."

There was a slight pause while the security team looked for the trigger, I could feel sweat build up along my forehead from the stress of waiting to hear from them. Finally there was a crackle in my ear followed by. "Confirmed security one, it is a timer, crude from the looks of things. Smith says he can disarm it easily enough, but you might want to know the countdown is down to the final ten minutes, over."

"Acknowledged," Jane glanced my way, a grim look on her face. "Let us know if you have any problems, over and out."

"Copy that, over and out."

"Does that give us enough time?" Jane asked as we resumed our trek towards the access tunnel.

"Barely," I conceded.

"Better up the pace then," and Jane started to jog towards our destination.

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Knowing the tunnel better than anybody else Jane sent me ahead, although she wasn't too keen having me take the lead, but the brunette acknowledged I would be able to spot something that wasn't right sooner than she would have managed. In our ears we heard two other teams find and disarm bombs, and unfortunately they all seemed to be in different parts of the tunnels which didn't give us an easy starting point, and that left two tunnels to be checked. Our progress was slowed right up because there were a lot of pipes and conduits that wound their way through the metal structure and they all needed to be inspected. Jane was keeping a close eye on the time, and had told me she wasn't going to hesitate in evacuating the tunnel when we got down to the two minute mark. Frustratingly we were only a few seconds away from leaving and we only had another ten foot of tunnel to check. I turned towards Jane, and she must have seen the look on my face because she said. "No Maura, we don't have time, we'll just have to take our chances with people managing to make their way inside. At least they won't be expecting us to be directly defending the tunnels."

Grabbing my arm she started to pull me back towards the corridor, pushing Mike in front of her with her free hand. "Come on, move, move," she said urgently.

Reaching the exit Jane stood by the doorway and made sure we exited before her, and just as she turned to leave we heard an enormous 'whump' sound and a cloud of dust erupted from the door coating all of us, but especially Jane. Coughing she waved the worst of the dust away from her face and grabbed her radio as we heard the team from the last tunnel confirm that their bomb had also exploded. Keying the mouthpiece Jane said. "All security to tunnels five and six, repeat all security to tunnels five and six, expected breach."

Hearing the acknowledgements we readied our weapons, and took shelter behind some buggies that were parked in the main corridor. The lights were flickering dangerously and I realized the explosion must have damaged some local systems. The shadows that were cast reminded me of the strobe lights on the Merch's dance floor and it was disorientating until my eyes adjusted. It didn't take long before long we were able to see the first of the invaders leaving the doorway and soon a firefight erupted between us and the rebels. Luckily we had the better positions because the raiders were emerging from a doorway, and that reduced the numbers which could attempt entrance, and it also provided us with a narrow target. We were holding our own, although my main concern was the fact that we only had a limited amount of ammunition with us. Jane must have thought the same thing because she keyed the radio again, "Korsak, get some extra supplies to our positions as soon as possible."

"Ten-four," the reply was gravelly. "We're just confirming that we only have two breaches."

"Don't be too long," Jane said immediately. "What we have here isn't going to last much longer."

"Five minutes max," Vince promised before signing off.

Mike was crouched on my left, Jane on my right and although I had a crossbow, it was still proving effective against the invaders because I had ample room to load the bolts and aim the bowstring. Each person we hit was pulled away by their comrades, and they appeared to be sent back to the external entrance. I could only hope they were being treated for their wounds, and not just pushed out of the shelter to fall to their death. Knowing how ruthless some of the rogue groups could be I wasn't confident that the injured would receive medical attention. Focusing on the invaders I was amazed that they continued to throw themselves into the line of fire, it was as if they thought they could overwhelm us by sheer numbers, but because they were limited by the narrowness of the door it allowed us to pick them off easily. They were accurate with their own weapons though, and we had to continue to take cover especially when they had guns in play. Jane had to duck more than once, and I was worried about her being the most exposed of us. Within the five minutes we had been joined by several more security guards, and as promised Vince appeared with extra weaponry and ammunition. Making his way to Jane's side he silently handed off the things she needed before rearming Mike and me. Once that was done he sat to Jane's right and joining in the defense of the bunker said. "How many people are we dealing with?"

"Hard to tell," Jane's reply was nearly drowned out by the noise from the guns being fired, and having nowhere to really go the smell of cordite hung thickly in the air. "I've counted at least fifty people so far, they just keep coming, no way are they willing to negotiate."

Vince grunted when a bullet chipped a piece of concrete from the floor and the small piece of shrapnel clipped his left cheek. Waving me off when I moved to check him over he said. "They probably haven't heard that only one of the other tunnels was breached. So far that tunnel has been contained as well."

"Has there been any news from Frost?" Jane was cut short when a bullet caught her on the right arm, causing her to swear and drop her gun. Rushing to her side I was relieved to see it was only a large graze. Thanking my decision to wear a cotton shirt today I tore off a strip from my sleeve and using that I was able to control the bleeding fairly easily. Vince and Mike took up the main area of defense while I worked. Silently I looked at Jane and although her eyes were pained, she wasn't in too much discomfort, and she smiled at me reassuringly. It was then that I realized that I must have looked extremely worried, so I smiled back, squeezed her hand, gratified to have the gesture returned and we returned to our places.

Seeing our return Vince was finally able to answer Jane's question. "No attempt has been made on any of the entrances. It looks like they have focused all their efforts on the tunnels. There is no way of knowing what the attackers who have been kept out of the other tunnels will be doing. Tommy is tracking as many as he can with the external cameras."

Forced to duck again the lights suddenly gave out, coating the area in total blackness. Muttering Jane grabbed a flashlight and brought it around in time to see a handful of attackers slip past the security detail in the confusion. "Shit," she said vehemently. "Korsak call that in, I'm going after them."

"Jane wait," I cried out as she moved, and she halted for a moment and looked at me quizzically. "I'm coming with you," I declared, leaving no room for argument.

Not looking at all happy by my avowal, Jane finally nodded curtly and we cautiously made our way up the side of the corridor, hearing Vince in our earpieces letting Sean know some attackers had managed to make their way inside the bunker.

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The darkness extended into the corridor, and I was pleased to see that the rooms off the structure had been closed and doors either locked or barricaded. That would limit the area the attackers could go, and soon we caught up with the six men who had made their way inside. Halting alongside another buggy we crouched low and Jane peered around the cover carefully, seeing that half the invading force was protecting the rear of the group. Unfortunately the rebels had found an area which was covered with spare wooden barrels and those were providing them with a lot of protection from attack. Noting that they had been brought to a halt by a few armed people from within the bunker Jane took a moment to try and figure out a way of getting the group to surrender. Finally Jane shouted to make herself heard above the noise, her voice coming out in an even deeper tone. "Give it up, you can't win, if you surrender you can go free."

The immediate response was a volley of gunfire that strafed the side of the buggy. "Well I guess that answers that!" Jane muttered, letting the gunfire die down before she took up a more attacking position. Moving I situated myself to her left so I could lay down covering fire if required. Looking at the taller woman I asked. "Do you want to wait for backup?"

Shaking her head Jane replied. "If that was any indication there's no time to wait. We need to act, and soon."

"Any ideas on what we can do to reduce casualties?"

"None," I could tell by her voice that Jane was frustrated. If nothing else survivors could be interrogated to help stop this kind of attack in the future; breaking into my thoughts Jane continued in the same tone. "The trouble with these types of people they have no regard for lives, and it doesn't matter if it's others' lives or their own. They would rather commit suicide by another's hand than surrender, and if they can take the people they perceive as the enemy with them so much the better."

"It's going to be an out and out fight then," I said.

Looking at me grimly Jane answered. "Yes, so do exactly what I say. The last thing I need to be worrying about is your safety."

"Jane," I started to admonish before she interrupted.

"I know, I know, you have changed the last year and have fought battles before and are quite capable of looking after yourself. However that was before we got together, things are different now because we have our future, and Cameron's future to think about."

Silently I nodded, Jane had made some very valid points, and I knew if the thought of losing Jane hurt me as much as the thought of her losing me must have been, then it was something neither of us would bear very well. "Alright," I finally said. "What do you need me to do?"

A slight smile played on Jane's lips while she moved marginally so she could get a better shot. "Try and get those bolts between any of the gaps, if you can force them to move out of the central ring of barrels it will give us a better target. Wait for my signal." And with that Jane concentrated on her radio asking Sean to pass a message along to the people ahead of the invaders, once it had been confirmed they understood the plan Jane looked back at me. "Alright," she said. "Let's do this."

Carefully I took aim with the crossbow, and although my preferred weapon was a compound archery bow I knew I was accurate enough with this to do as Jane had asked. It only took three hits between the barrels before we both sensed movement within their defenses.

"Keep going." Jane urged me in a low voice, her full attention on the scene unfolding in front of us.

Without warning an old beer bottle with a lit rag in the neck was thrown our way. "MOVE!" Jane yelled, recognizing the Molotov cocktail as it arced towards our position. Scrambling out of the way we just managed to get to a safe distance before the bottle exploded into smithereens, sending lit gasoline in all directions. Smoke from the projectile was not too thick, but the chemical smell in the air was cloying and made me cough violently. Reaching up the wall I blindly managed to grab a fire extinguisher that fortunately we had spread out at regular intervals, and following the instructions was able to put out the flames, the foam added to the nauseating atmosphere and it forced us to retreat a bit further until we found clearer air to breathe.

"Fuck," clambering back to a crouched position and coughing almost as violently as me, Jane quickly had her gun raised and was covering us. Before I could react with my weapon I was startled by the appearance of Lydia at our side, she was carrying more ammunition and bolts, plus a crossbow and quiver of her own.

Before I could question the blond woman she thrust the extra bolts into my quiver and said. "Tommy was with me when the attack started. I'm good with a crossbow and wanted to help."

Seeing the determination in the younger woman's face I could only nod and looking at Jane I could see her raised eyebrows at the declaration.

"The more the merrier," Jane finally agreed. "Help Maura lay down fire into their defenses, but watch out for those Molotov cocktails, if they had one then they're likely to have more."

"It was a common form of weapon with Greg and his group, they used to laugh at their victims while they burned," Lydia said quietly, the pain from witnessing such events still clearly visible in her eyes. Pulling herself together she added. "Normally they would carry two per person. If you have six attackers then I would expect a minimum of twelve missiles."

Knowing that information was an important piece of intelligence, Jane looked at me and commented with a worried tone. "I only saw six of them, but that's still one Hell of a lot of flames within a confined area."

"Yes," I agreed. "The last thing we need is an out of control fire, I think we'd better get Mike down here to deal with that, he's had the training."

Keying her radio again Jane relayed the new information to the security office, and I heard the confirmation of Mike coming to our aid in my earpiece.

Reaching us a few minutes later Mike scurried crablike to our side, and not only was he geared up to fight fires, but he also had three extra gas masks with him. "Here," he said handing them over. "They're not ideal, but they will help stop you inhaling the chemicals from the gasoline and smoke."

Gratefully I took one, knowing all too well the damage chemicals could do to a person's system, and we only had two respiratory specialists on staff. That was one infirmary visit I didn't want anybody to have to go through. Showing Jane and Lydia how to fit the masks correctly Mike then turned his attention to the fire threat.

"Has it only been gasoline so far?" He queried succinctly, his voice muffled and odd sounding through the gas mask.

I nodded, and looking grim the young man moved to take over control of the fire extinguisher. "Don't think about fighting any fires, but equally don't get in my way."

"Understood," Jane said. "I want to draw them to the outer edge of the barricade, that's where they threw the last missile from."

"Then I need to be at your side to get the flames under control as soon as possible."

Taking a calming breath, I looked at Jane and she led us all forward, slowly we made our way past the scorch marks left behind from the gasoline, and we were soon at the buggy which had been caught up in the fire. Luckily it was still structurally stable and made a good place to continue our attack.

With the gas mask limiting my view I wasn't as accurate as I had been before, and I was grateful to have Lydia at my side. True to her word she was extremely accurate with a crossbow, and between us we had the rebels moving back to where they had been and not unexpectedly another Molotov cocktail was heading our way. Moving rapidly we retreated and let Mike deal with the fire quickly and efficiently, allowing us to get back into position with very little time lost. This was repeated another nine times, and although the immediate area was showing considerable damage from the flames, overall the corridor was holding up well, in part thanks to Mike's work.

"Eleven down, that should be one to go." Jane noted, her voice eerily deep because of the gas mask. "If you see the chance to take any of them down, don't hesitate, they need to be stopped."

With a deep calming breath, not enjoying the slightly tinged rubbery taste caused by the mask I mentally prepared for the final assault. It wasn't long in coming, and to our surprise the men decided to try and break their way past us and the flames. Seeing what they were doing Mike held off with the extinguisher, not wanting to give them an easy exit. To my dismay the men continued forward regardless and those that weren't engulfed by fire we cut down with our weapons. As soon as the last man fell Mike hit the fire with some foam.

Exhausted I leaned against the wall breathing heavily, soot on my skin mingled with the dust from the tunnel explosion, and with sweat running down my face, as well as my front and back I felt exceedingly uncomfortable. I looked over to see Jane was as emotionally and physically drained as I was feeling. With an effort I made my way to slide down the wall; Jane joined me and I rested my head on her shoulder as she wrapped an arm around my waist. Eventually Mike signaled that we could remove our masks and gratefully I freed myself from the claustrophobic confines of the rubber. I looked across the corridor to see Lydia had mirrored our sitting position on the floor, and she looked relieved that the fight was over. All of us had suffered slight burns to our arms, but nothing major, and our clothing was battered and torn. Jane's face was liberally streaked with soot and sweat, and I imagined it mirrored my own look. Knowing we would be gratefully getting back to a shower later on, I took the time to relax against the taller woman.

"We need to find out how Korsak and the others are doing," Jane finally said after a few moments.

"No rest for the wicked," I smiled slightly, just enjoying the closeness for as long as possible.

Struggling to her feet, Jane reached down and helped me up before helping Lydia. "Let's go and see how everyone else is faring," she said tiredly. And starting down the corridor we returned to the tunnel entrance.

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What we witnessed when we arrived back at the tunnel was the rebels breaking off their attack. A few seconds before we arrived we'd heard Korsak giving that information out over the radio, and the second tunnel was also confirming the retreat of their attackers.

I knew the most dangerous part was going to happen next, security would need to clear the tunnels, and then we would need to re-secure the outer doors. Tommy helped us with that aspect of the bunker defense. We knew there wasn't room for more than fifty people at a time to be in the tunnels, and watching the camera he was able to count off the number of people emerging from the exits. Once he'd reached the fifty mark, Jane and Korsak led the way into the tunnel to clear it of any remaining invaders. This was their territory, one I had to concede I would be little use doing, they had the training and I had to trust that training to see them safely through the task ahead.

A scant five minutes later Vince and Jane had returned, confirming the tunnels were finally clear and being held secure by security until maintenance could arrive and repair the damage to the outer doors. It was time for a debriefing and then we could think about making our way home.

Just before we headed out to the debrief, the radio crackled, and Jane and I immediately tensed, expecting more bad news. I have to admit, what we got wasn't quite what I was expecting.

"Janie! Maura! Tell me you, Tommy and Frankie are all okay?" Angela's voice seemed even more high pitched than usual, and I wasn't sure if it was the radio distortion - or if it was because of the stress. Hearing her mother's voice, Jane shook her head slightly in exasperation.

"It's because she cares." I reminded Jane with a slight smile, which she returned.

"I know, but c'mon - she couldn't wait? These radios are for authorized personnel only."

"True, but we know how insistent your mother can be. Don't blame whomever it was for handing their radio over."

Jane laughed lightly, hearing Frankie and Tommy in resigned tones confirming their safety as we began to tiredly trudge towards the security office. "Don't worry, I won't be too hard on whomever it was that gave her a radio." Jane said.

"Aren't you going to answer?" I queried.

Nope," Jane smirked, "we'll be there in a minute or two, she can wait." Putting an arm around my shoulder, I leaned into Jane slightly, feeling as content as was possible under the circumstances. I could only hope this was the worse we had to face from the rebels. At least for now.

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End file.
